Summer Travel Preview: Topeka

Lecompton

Any visitor to Topeka or Lawrence should take time to check out Lecompton. Situated between Lawrence and Topeka just a few minutes north of the Kansas Turnpike, Lecompton is a small town with big history from the Bleeding Kansas period.

Lecompton once served as the territorial capital of Kansas, and leaders there almost succeeded in having Kansas admitted to the Union as a slave state. Learn more about the history by visiting Constitution Hall. The National Landmark is the site where the famous Lecompton Constitution was written. The Lecompton Constitution sparked a national controversy over whether Kansas should enter the Union as a free or slave state, created bloodshed in Kansas, and historians agree the constitution played a major role in the election of President Lincoln.

Get more Civil War history by visiting the Territorial Capital Museum, an ornate building that once housed Lane University. The museum contains three floors of Civil War and Victorian artifacts.

Visitors should mark June 17-18 to visit the community’s annual Territorial Days. The event features rides and attractions, old time games, live muss, and food trucks and other vendors. This year the event will celebrate the 160th anniversary of Constitution Hall, and will include a re-enactment of the Battle of Fort Titus.

— By Chad Lawhorn

WHY GO THERE:

Just a half hour’s drive down the Turnpike, Topeka is home to the state Capitol as well as many museums and cultural sites that tell the story of Kansas history. Among those are the newly renovated Statehouse, the Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site and the Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site. Topeka also offers a wide array of sports, leisure, dining, music and entertainment attractions that appeal to virtually all tastes and age groups.

WHAT TO DO THERE:

Whether you enjoy a day at the museum, a night on the town, strolling through the park or competing in Olympic-style athletic events, Topeka has something to offer almost everyone.

The Kansas Museum of History, just west of Sixth Avenue and Wanamaker, features exhibits about the early settlers who founded the state. The Mulvane Art Museum, on the campus of Washburn University, displays work from regional, national and international artists. And the Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site, 1515 S.E. Monroe St. in east Topeka, commemorates the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down racial segregation in public schools.

There are also many outdoor attractions in Topeka. Gage Park, at 10th Street and Gage, features the Topeka Zoo, the Reinisch Rose Garden, Blaisdell Pool, a carousel and a mini train that takes visitors through the entire expansive park. For the more adventurous, the trails behind Cedar Crest, the governor’s mansion, are great for hiking, jogging and bird watching. Boaters and fishermen can also access the Kansas River from Kaw River State Park. Lake Shawnee, just east of Topeka, also offers boating, fishing and a swimming beach. And golfers can choose among numerous area courses, including Lake Shawnee Golf Course east of town and Cypress Ridge to the west.

THINGS YOU MUST SEE:

The Kansas Statehouse is a must-see for any visitor to Topeka. The newly renovated building now has free underground parking on the north side of the building, accessible from Eighth Avenue, and a visitors’ center that offers guided tours through the Capitol.

Visitors who want to explore by themselves shouldn’t miss the famous John Brown mural on the second floor, across from the governor’s office, by the renowned regionalist painter and Kansas native John Stuart Curry. The House and Senate chambers, located on the third floor, are also famous for their architectural splendor.

Across 10th Street from the Statehouse is the Kansas Judicial Center, which houses the Kansas Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals. And on Saturday mornings from April through October, one of the Midwest’s largest farmers markets is open in the parking lot just behind the Judicial Center.

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS:

One of the newer and more rapidly growing attractions in Topeka is the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center in Gage Park, which offers children a fun place to explore, create and discover on their own. It features hands-on exhibits, camps, daily programs and field trips, as well as a venue for special events such as birthday parties.

The Topeka Zoo, also in Gage Park, has everything from African gorillas and elephants to North American bears and eagles. And no matter the weather, one highlight of any trip to the zoo is the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit, located inside a geodesic dome that features tropical birds, mammals, reptiles and plants.

Kids will also enjoy a day at Lake Shawnee, which offers a swimming beach as well as boating and picnic areas.


SAVE THE DATE:

June 20, 10 a.m-8 p.m. “Wheatstock XI,” Bring your own lawn chair for this outdoor music festival featuring acoustic and bluegrass music in Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site, 124 N.W. Filmore St.

July 10-26, the 26th annual Sunflower State Games, an Olympic-style sports festivals that will offer more than 45 sports for all ages and skill levels. Registration required to participate. Complete details available at sunflowergames.com.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Topeka is accessible from Lawrence via the Kansas Turnpike, U.S. Highway 40 and Highway 24. To take Highway 40, just remember that Sixth Street in Lawrence becomes Sixth Avenue in Topeka. Amtrak’s Chicago-to-Los Angeles line, the Southwest Chief, also stops in Topeka.

ALSO NEARBY:

Lecompton, one of the Kansas territorial capitals, is about 15 miles east of Topeka. To the west, the scenic K-4 Highway takes you through some breathtaking scenery in the Flint Hills. About an hour down the road, in Wabaunsee County, is the town of Alma, where you can stop at the creamery and get some local Alma Cheese.