The Topeka Room

 

Welcome to the “Topeka Room.”  Here you will find material related to the history and culture of Topeka, and Shawnee County, Kansas.  This page will serve primarily as a reference page with a developing bibliography of Topeka and Shawnee County.  Photos will be included when available (point and click to enlarge them).  As the site develops, I would like to add links and announcements of relevance.  Most items shown here are currently available.  Please email (lloyd@ksbiblio.com) to inquire as to availability and price, as well as any other comments, suggestions, etc.  I am, also, always interested in the opportunity to purchase books, pamphlets, maps, post cards, photos, diaries city directories, etc. related to Topeka, Kansas, and other subjects.

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The cornerstone of any collection of printed Topeka and Shawnee County history would, of course, be the bulletins of the “Shawnee County Historical Society (SCHS).”   Founded in 1946, this society originally published quarterly bulletins covering a diverse number of subjects.  The bulletin evolved over time to become an annual publication with a more singular focus to each issue.  More information about the SCHS can be found at their web page: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/schs/index.html.  The bulletins contain a wide array of contributions ranging from first hand accounts and anecdotes, to well researched and documented histories. 

Bulletin of the Shawnee County Historical Society (SCHS Bulletins):

Volume I, Number 1 (December, 1946) pp 3-32

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” pp 3-15 (continued

   in Vol. I, No. 2).

 

Tabor, Milton “Oldest House in Kansas” pp 16-18.

 

Lovewell, Paul A. “100 Years Ago the First Grocery Was Started

   in Shawnee County” pp 19-24.

 

Howes, Cecil “Ghost Towns of Shawnee County” pp 25-32.

 

Volume I, Number 2 (March 1947) pp 35-64

 

                Cone, William “Shawnee County Townships: William Cone’s Historical

   Sketch of Shawnee County, Kansas including An Account of the Important

   Events in the Early Settlement of each Township…”  (reprint of 1877

   Publication) pp 35-45 (continued in Vol. I, No. 4).

 

“The Founding of Topeka” pp 46.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from

   previous bulletin) pp 47-64 (continued in Vol. I, No. 3).

 

Volume I, Number 3 (June, 1947) pp 67-96

 

                Carruth, Arthur J., Jr. “92 Years of Newspapers in Shawnee” pp 67-73.

 

                Bright, John D. “Topeka’s Year I” pp 74-86.

 

                Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from

                   previous bulletin) pp 86-92 (continued in Vol. I, No. 4).

 

                Stone, Robert “Olive Packard Owen” pp 93-96.

 

Volume I, Number 4 (September-December, 1947) pp 99-128

 

                “Founders of Topeka” pp 99-103 (continued in Vol. II, No. 1).

 

                Howes, Cecil “What About the Name, Topeka?” pp 104-108.

 

                [Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from

   Vol. I, No. 2) pp 109-112 (continued in Vol. II, No. 1).

 

Mrs. Harry Seery “Early Topeka Days” pp 113-115.

 

Lovewell, Paul “The Smith; A Mighty Man was He” pp 116-120.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County

(continued from Vol. I, No. 3) pp 121-128 (continued in Vol. II, No. 1).

 

Volume II, Number 1 (March, 1948) pp 3-32

 

                Carruth, Arthur J., Jr. “Topeka, Transportation” pp 3-7.

 

                Page, Euphemia B. “Flour Mills – Important Industry” pp 8-12.

 

                “Dr. Franklin Loomis Crane” (continued from Vol. I, No. 4,

                   titled: “Founders of Topeka”) pp 13-15.

 

                [Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from

                   Vol. I, No. 4) pp 16-18 (continued in Vol. II, No. 2).

 

                Rastall, John E. “Topeka in 1856” pp 19-27.

 

                Root, George A “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued

                   From Vol. I, No. 4) pp 27-32 (continued in Vol. II, No. 2).

 

Volume II, Number 2 (June, 1948) pp 35-64

 

                Lovewell, Paul A. “First Dry Goods Store Was Also the First

                   Public Library” pp 35-38.

 

                Carruth, Arthur J., Jr. “Light and Power in Topeka” pp 39-45.

 

                Howes, Cecil “It Took Work, Money and Some Shenanigans

                   To Win the Kansas Capitol” pp 46-52.

 

                [Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. II,

                   No. 1) pp 53-55 (continued in Vol. II, No. 3).

 

                Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. II,

                   No. 1) pp 56-64 (continued in Vol. II, No. 3).

               

Volume II, Number 3 (September, 1948) pp 67-94

 

Biby, William A.  “History of the Topeka Free Public Library” pp 67-78.

 

Hickman, Russell K.  Topeka Founded on Wyandott Float” pp 79-84.

 

[Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. II,

                    No. 2) pp 85-87 (continued in Vol. II, No. 4).

 

                Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. II,

                   No. 2) pp 88-93 (continued in Vol. II, No. 4).

 

Volume II, Number 4 (December, 1948) pp 99-128

 

                [Giles, Fry W.] “The First Few Days (Excerpts from Thirty Years in

   Topeka…” pp 99-103

 

Tabor, Milton “Cyrus Kurtz Holliday” pp 104-113.

 

[Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. II,

                    No. 3) pp 114-117 (continued in Vol. III, No. 1).

 

                Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. II,

                   No. 3) pp 118-128 (continued in Vol. III, No. 1).

 

Volume III, Number 1 (March, 1949) pp 2-32

 

                Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

Part I – Founding a Pioneer Church” pp 3-8 (continued in Vol. III, No. 2).

 

Cone, Lois Johnson “The Ward-Meade House” pp 9-13.

 

[Galloway, Nancy (Veale)] “Col. Veale’s Mansion:  Social Center of Topeka.”

   pp 14-17.

 

[Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. II,

                    No. 4) pp 18-21 (continued in Vol. III, No. 2).

 

                “Accessions” pp 22.

 

                Adams, Paul “The Old Trail Through Topeka” pp 23-26.

 

                Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. II,

                   No. 4) pp 27-32 (continued in Vol. III, No. 2).

 

Volume III, Number 2 (December, 1949) pp 35-64

 

                “The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Topeka Mail and Kansas Breeze May 22,

   1896, Recorded Shawnee County History” pp 35-40.

 

[Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. III,

                    No. 1) pp 41-43 (continued in No. 11).

 

                “Why Topeka Streets Are Wide (from Topeka Mail and Breeze) pp 43.

               

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part II – Building a House of Worship” (continued from Vol. III, No. I)

   pp 44-47 (continued in No. 11).

 

“Which are the Oldest Families?” pp 48

 

“How He Got Logs: Wila Gordon Started the First Saw Mill in Topeka

   (From Mail and Breeze)” pp 49

 

Cochran, C. V. “Indianola” pp 50-52.

 

“The ‘Smokers Club’ (From Mail and Breeze)” pp 53.

 

Laurent, Louis Charles “Reminiscences by the Son of a French Pioneer”

   pp 54-58 (continued in No.11).

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. III,

                   No. 1) pp 59-64 (continued in No. 11).

 

Number Eleven (June, 1950) pp 3-32

 

                Morrow, Marco & Paul A. Lovewell “In Memoriam: Cecil Howes

   1880-1950)” pp 3-4.

 

Old Shawnee County Families” pp 5-6.

 

[Cone, William] “Shawnee County Townships” (continued from Vol. III,

                    No. 2) pp 7-8 (continued in No. 12).

 

                “That Was Only ‘Granny’” pp 8-9.

 

Laurent, Louis Charles “Reminiscences by the Son of a French Pioneer”

   (continued from Vol. III, No. 2)  pp 10-15.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part II – Building a House of Worship” (continued from Vol. III, No.2)

   pp 16-19 (continued in No. 12).

 

Lovewell, Paul A. “Fifty Years Later: What would Carry Nation think

   about Kansas now?’ pp 20-23.

 

“’Uncle Chet’ Thomas:  How He Helped Make Topeka the Capital” pp 24-26.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from Vol. III,

                   No. 2) pp 27-32 (continued in No. 12).

 

Number Twelve (December, 1950) pp 35-64

 

                Washburn University Lends a Hand” pp 35.

 

                “Early Hospitals of Topeka” pp 36-40.

 

                Old Shawnee County Families” pp 41.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part III – The First Pastorate Concluded” (continued from No. 11)

   pp 42-47 (continued in No. 13).

 

[Cone, William] “The Cone History” (continued from No 11)

    pp 50-53 (continued in No. 13).

 

“The Husking Bee” pp 53-54.

 

[Speer, John] “Told by a Pioneer: Old John Speer Writes of the

   Early Days at Topeka and Tecumseh.” pp 55-59.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 11)

  pp 60-64 (continued in No. 13).

 

Number Thirteen (March, 1951) pp 3-32

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part IV – The McVicar Pastorate Begun” (continued from No. 12)

   pp 3- 6 (continued in No. 14).

 

[Ritchie, Mrs. E. F.] “Reminiscences of Mrs. E. F. Ritchie” pp 7-9.

 

 Topeka in 1877” pp 10-11& 31.

 

“Felitz’ Island” pp 12-15.

 

Bright, John Daniel “The Generous Ichabod” pp 16-18 (continued in Number 14).

 

[Cone, William] “The Cone History” (continued from No 12)

    pp 19-20 & 32.

 

Zornow, William Frank “Topeka Fetes Royalty” pp 21-26.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 12)

  pp 27-31 (continued in No. 14).

 

“The First White Children Born in the State” pp 32.

 

Number Fourteen (September, 1951) pp 2-32

 

                “Do You Remember?” pp 3-6.

 

                Old Shawnee County Families” pp 7-8.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part V – The Civil War” (continued from No. 13) pp 9-11 (continued in No. 15).

 

Bright, John Daniel “The Generous Ichabod” (continued from Number 13) pp 12-15.

 

Lillard, T. M.  “In the Tradition” pp 16-18

 

“They Came to Kansas” pp 18-20.

 

“Go East, Young Man” pp 21-22.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 13)

  pp 23-31 (continued in No. 15).

 

“Good Roads – As Of 1858” pp 32.

 

Number Fifteen (December, 1951) pp 3-32

 

                Ives, Earl “Local History in the Making” pp 3-6.

 

                “Why Shawnee’s Boundaries Changed” pp 7-9.

 

                “Underground Railroad in Topeka” pp 9 & 15.

 

                Magaw, Charles A. “Casper C. Clemens” pp 10-11.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part VI – Topeka’s First Church Bell” (continued from No. 14)

   pp 12-14 (continued in No. 16).

 

Lovewell, Paul A. “What It Was Like In 1903” pp 16 & 20-23

 

Carruth, A. J., Jr. “Friday the Thirteenth” pp 17-20.

 

“A Vanished Local Industry” pp 24-26.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 14)

  pp 27-32 (continued in No. 16).

 

Number Sixteen (March, 1952) pp 3-32

 

                Adams, Paul “Washburn’s Campus: John Ritchie’s Gift” pp 3-7.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part VII – The McVicar Pastorate Concluded” (continued from No. 15)

   pp 8-11 (continued in No. 17).

 

Frazer, Louis E. “Recollections of Baseball in Topeka” pp 12-14.

 

“Earthquakes in Topeka “ pp 15-16.

 

Maze, Iva “My Experiences During the Flood, February 5, 1904” pp 17-18.

 

“Joseph Groff Waters:  Colorful Character” pp 19-20.

 

Waters, Joseph G. “The History of Topeka (From Radge’s Topeka Directory,

   1883-1884, pages, 11-17” pp 21-28.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 15)

  pp 29-32 (continued in No. 17).

 

Number Seventeen (December, 1952) pp 3-32

 

                MacFerran, William, Jr. “James White Frierson Hughes” pp 3-9.

 

Hickman, Russell K. “First Congregational Church of Topeka, 1854-1869:

   Part VIII – The Second Bodwell Pastorate” (continued from No. 16)

   pp 10-13.

 

Cone, Lois Johnson “Joab Mulvane House” pp 14-18.

 

“Washburn and the Lakin Tract” pp 19-21.

 

Topeka House Numbers – Old Style” pp 22-24.

 

MacFerran, William, Jr. “Col. Hughes and the Legislative War” pp 25-29.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 16)

  pp 30-32 (continued in No. 19).

 

Number Eighteen (March, 1953) pp 3-32

 

                “Fire! Fire! Fire!” pp 3.

 

                Ives, Earl “Local History in the Making” pp 4-6 & 19-25.

 

                Cone, Lois Johnson “The Valentine House and the People Who Lived There”

                   Pp 7-8 & 25-28.

 

                Page, Euphemia “Topeka Once Had Operas” pp 9-10.

 

                Lovewell, Margaret Sawyer “Nautilus Memories” pp 11-13 & 29-32

 

                Obrecht, R. C. “Burnett’s Mound” pp 14-19.

 

 

Number Nineteen (October, 1953) pp 3-32

 

                “In Memoriam (Paul Adams)” pp 3-4.

 

                Adams, Paul “The Topeka Turn Verein” pp 5-10.

 

                Page, Euphemia “Topeka’s Fall Festivals Were Exciting” pp 11-13.

 

                Adams, Paul “Some Early Bridge History” pp 14-16.

 

                Page, Euphemia “Some Topeka Firsts” pp 17-20.

 

                [Landon, John (Jack) Cobb)] “The Dyche Museum” pp 21-26.

 

                “Social Invitations Were Interesting” pp 27.

 

Root, George A. “Chronology of Shawnee County” (continued from No. 17)

  pp 28-32 (continued in No.

 

Number Twenty (December, 1953) pp 3-96

 

                “The History of Potwin Place: ‘Potwin Place,’ the Suburb, Comes into Being” pp 3-96