Topeka
Topeka,
Kansas, settled in 1854, ranks among the renowned Free-State towns founded
after the
Kansas-Nebraska Bill. Located in
America’s heartland, this Midwestern town takes its name from a tribal word
meaning “a good place to grow potatoes”. This refers to the native “prairie
potato”, an herb in the pea family, which was a staple food for many Native
Americans in the region.
Topeka serves as the capital of the State of Kansas and the seat of
Shawnee County. This dynamic city, which sprawls throughout 57
square miles, was home to 122,377 at the time of the
2000 Census. Topeka lies in northeast Kansas at the crossroads of U.S.
Highway 75 and Interstate 70. Topeka enjoys easy access to I-335 also, which is
part of the
Kansas Turnpike and U.S. highways 24 and 40.
The sectors of government and services, which are the economic lifeblood of
Topeka, account for more than half of the financial earnings in the region.
More than 30% of the workforce hold employment in the service industry, while
another 25% work for city, county or state government. The construction and
manufacturing sectors in the Topeka market is represented by
Fortune 500 companies such as
Frito-Lay Inc., and
Hill’s Pet Nutrition operating within the city. Food processing plants,
iron foundries and printing and publishing companies also provide employment to
Topeka citizens. Topeka’s mean travel time to work is 16.6 minutes one way,
which falls well below the
national average.
Tourism also plays a significant role in the economy. Topeka’s charming
capital city ambiance attracts visitors for tours of the
Capitol Dome and the
Capitol Building, renowned for its exquisite murals painted by
John Steuart Curry. Topeka is home to the award-winning
Topeka Civic Theatre, the
Performing Arts Center,
Topeka Zoo and
Heartland Park, a major racing course. Other interesting sites include the
Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site, the
Combat Air Museum found on
Forbes Air Force Base and the
Kansas Museum of History, which features an indoor train and a 1950s
McDonald's.
Four public school districts service Topeka residents, while numerous
facilities such as
Cair Paravel-Latin School provide private and parochial school educations to
the region.
Linda Brown of
Brown vs. the Board of Education and the first African-American
kindergarten located west of the Mississippi River are in Topeka.
Monroe Elementary, the segregated school initially affected by the historic
court decision, now holds a listing on the
National Register for Historic Places.
Topeka hosts several colleges, technical schools and universities. These
include the
Baker University School of Nursing and
Washburn University. More than twenty-five percent of the population over
the age of 25 years hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Citizens of
Topeka access housing options in every price range and enjoy a cost of
living that consistently ranks below the national average.
Topeka,
Kansas projects a celebrated balance of industry and lovely scenery. A
humid continental climate, where hot, steamy summers and cold, dry winters are
the norm, sets the stage for residents and visitors to take advantage of
Topeka’s indoor and outdoor activities year round.
|
