Shawnee County Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas

Schools' Field Trips:
Open PDF flyer

A lot of people grew up
here and are interested in what
went on in the past. The past should be made interesting. There's still plenty of material that hasn't yet been written.

—John W. Ripley

We welcome your comments!

Join Shawnee County Historical Society

Join The Ritchie House

Join SCHS Student Historians

Consider joining
Topeka History Geeks,
a free Facebook site for
individuals who love the city of Topeka and treasure her history.

2011 SCHS Bulletin
The 2011 SCHS Bulletin #85 is The Capital's Storied Capitols, 1856-1886. Editors were Douglass W. Wallace, Jeanne Christie Mithen, and Chris Meinhardt. Copies are $29.99 at the Kansas Museum of History Gift Shop. 1/19/2012

Site hosted by

"Suprises await those who
take a chance on Topeka
"--insights of a visitor to Kansas. Read the article, which includes SCHS's John Ritchie House.

Topeka and Shawnee
County, Kansas, possess a
fascinating history. It's a story of building a town amid territorial strife...laying out a railroad empire to the American Southwest...fighting the elements of drought and grasshoppers to keep the family homestead...of good times under the Big Tent and the no-so-good times of local boy Bennie Dickson as Public Enemy No. 1.

This is your story, whether you are a native or a newcomer or once lived in this area of Northeast Kansas. Join the Society and share with others who enjoy learning how our community came to be what
it is today.

Watch the movie!
Wed., July 10, 7:00 pm, Citizen Potawatomi Nation Community Center, 806 Nishnabe Trail, Rossville.
CPN Community Center in Rossville. Screening of “The Big Trail,” a 1930 movie starring John Wayne, about challenges to settlers following the Oregon Trail westward. Uniontown site promoted—by Ann Marie Bush, Topeka Capital-Journal, 5/4/2013
See historic photos at C-Jonline web site!

Visit wrap-up:
2013 SCHS Preservation Awards Event:

See May tour

May. 2013
SCHS Newsletter On-line only:
FULL COLOR
issue

Topeka & Shawnee County, Kansas

Topeka and Shawnee County History fans have a chance to enhance the Historical Society's heritage program services by donating to the Topeka Community Foundation's Topeka Gives fair at Fairlawn Mall, June 19 from 7 am to 6 pm.

Gifts made to the Foundation, ranging from $25 to $1,000 designated to the Shawnee County Historical Society, will be proportionally matched and go directly to the Society's heritage education program.

During the past academic year over 1300 area students participated in touring the Ritchie House and experiencing the struggles over freedom's meaning in the 1850s and 60s which transpired here. In addition over 400 youngsters will be participating in history day camp during the current June and July.

Your gifts made at the Topeka Gives Fair will enable the Society to continue and expand this program.

Questions should be addressed to shawneecountyhistori@gmail.com
or 785-234-6097

Education Committee reports: SCHS is partnering with PBS's American Experience and historypin.com for their abolitionist project and documentary. The John/Mary Jane Ritchie story, taking part in the Underground Railroad. See Abolitionist Map of America.

Civil War Sesquicentennial
1861-1864 | 2011-2014
A Civil War Timeline —NYTimes

The Civil War Roundtable of Eastern Kansas meets the last Thursday of each month at the Cox Communication Heritage Education Center, 1118 SE Madison, Topeka.

Meetings of the CWRT are free and open to the public. Membership is $15 annually and pays the fees/expenses of speakers. Past presenters have included Wiley Sword, Michael Burlingame, and the Pulitzer-nominated author, Fred Chiaventone.