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Spring
1997 Newsletter
HTI Announces Annual Award Winners During Preservation Week '97
Established in 1979, each year Historic Topeka's awards program recognized individuals and companies for their outstanding contributions to preservation in the Topeka area. The winners in the 18th Annual HTI Preservation Awards Program are:
Historic Properties:
- Marks Building (Barley's Brewhaus)
- Morgan House - 1335 SW Harrison
- Evans House - 117 SW Clay
- G. B. Gallagher Store - 8th & Clay
- Woodward/Hamilton/Reed Residence - 834 SW Buchanan
- Edelblute's Drugstore fixtures installation - Ward-Meade Park
Individuals:
- Kathleen Sebelius
- Dr. William & Eleanor Simpson
- John Patterson
Marks Building (Barley's Brewhaus), 8th & Kansas Ave.
In 1930, Topeka architect Ralph Scamell redesigned the old Marks Building, giving it a touch of Seville, with the addition of terra-cotta and wrought-iron ornamentation and Spanish roof tile. Its most notable tenant, of course, was the Ray Beers Men's Store, long a feature--now missed--of The Avenue. Though found in a new role, the building remains a distinct and bright corner of the downtown.
Morgan House, 1335 Harrison St. (1904)
Excellent Craftsman (or Arts and Crafts) residence built for Margaret Mulvane and Harrison S. Morgan in 1904 at a cost of $6,000. Both local philanthropists (Washburn's Morgan Hall is named for the couple), Mr. Morgan was a financier with the National Bank of Topeka and Mrs. Morgan was the daughter of prominent Topeka businessman Joab Mulvane. The home has been returned to its single-family splendor by current owners Karen Hastings and Ute Mueller.
Evans House, 117 Clay St. (c. 1892)
Late Queen Anne style house which once boasted of a third-story tower is being restored to its Victorian glory. First resident John Evans was a loan and real estate agent ; at different times other members of his household were employed by three of Topeka's major railroad lines: Rock Island, Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Current owners are William and Cynthia Naeger.
G.B. Gallagher Store, 8th & Clay (1908)
Classic Americana: this neighborhood grocery store was built by G.B. Gallagher. Unlike most Topeka examples of the corner grocery, this was erected as a store on the ground floor and tenements on the second story. Many Topekans will remember it as Pence's or White's Market; in its last years as a commercial store, it was Hogan Hardware. It has been carefully preserved by its current owner, Personalized Brokerage Services.
Woodward/Hamilton/Reed Residence, 834 SW Buchanan (1907)
Unique blend of Shingle and Craftsman created this, the first home of prominent Topeka businessman and financier Chester Woodward. Present owners Dr. William and Eleanor Simpson not only have maintained its architectural integrity but have enhanced the residence and the neighborhood (see "Dr. William and Eleanor Simpson" in the Awards for Individuals section below).
Edelblute's Drugstore fixtures installation, Ward-Meade Park
After Edelblute's Drugstore--a great Topeka tradition--at 5th and West (Washburn) Streets closed, a group of concerned and visionary citizens in the Potwin community rallied together to preserve and store the drugstore's distinctive 1930 walnut fixtures. Thanks to their efforts and those of Ward-Meade Park, the fixtures were incorporated into a new building in the "Prairie Crossings" section of the park last year.
Kathleen Sebelius
Under her stewardship, the majestic Woman's Club Building, a distinctive blend of Prairie and Art Nouveau elements designed by Topeka architect Frank Squires, is undergoing much-needed preservation work, including stabilization of the roof as well as much-needed interior repair and stabilization.
Dr. William and Eleanor Simpson
Pioneers in Topeka preservation, Dr. and Mrs. Simpson continue to be leaders in the movement to preserve historic neighborhoods in Topeka. Among their more notable preservation efforts: in the late 1960s, they led the fight to preserve the Governor's Row neighborhood from drastic redevelopment. More recently, they had trees planted along the street throughout the neighborhood to help beautify and preserve its historic landscape features.
John Patterson
Thanks to efforts last year by Historic Topeka, Inc. volunteer John Patterson, HTI now has a presence on the World Wide Web. Now Topeka's historic architecture can be appreciated by people all over the world on HTI's new web site: http://topeka.wuacc.edu/historic/index.htm.
Copies of Downtown Historic Building Survey Available for $8 each
Copies of the 52-page "Historic Resource Inventory of the Central City - Topeka" are now available.
As reported in the October 1996 issue of Historic News, a comprehensive survey of historic buildings and sites in Downtown Topeka and the surrounding area was completed last year through a joint project of DTI and Historic Topeka, Inc.
The report, written by Doug Wallace and compiled by Martin Jones, describes over 330 properties in the following eight districts: Downtown, St. Joseph's Parish, Topeka Boulevard, Tyler Street, Bethany Square, Douthitt Place, Ritchie's Addition (South Topeka), and North Topeka.
Special Thanks
Historic Topeka, Inc. wishes to thank RE/MAX Associate Jerry Long for generously funding the publication of "Historic St. Jospeh's Parish & Vicinity", Historic Topeka's second in a series of self-guided tour maps of the central city area. The map series is a joint project of HTI's Education Committee and Downtown Topeka, Inc.
Historic Topeka Top 10 Endangered Sites, 1996-97
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1. TOPEKA'S HISTORIC SCHOOLS: Garfield (1888) 2. FIRE STATION #5 3. TOPEKA STATE HOSPITAL 4. HISTORIC GRAVEMARKERS, STATUARYAND MAUSOLEA |
5. PAXTON HOUSE 6. CONSTITUTION HALL 7. OLD POLICE STATION & ANNEX 8. KANSAS NEWSPAPER UNION BLDG. (1888), 118 W. 8th St. 9. NORTH KANSAS AVENUE HISTORIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT 10. EASTLAKE VICTORIAN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS |
Ross Roster
Historic Topeka, Inc. gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following to the restoration of the Ross Row Houses:
- DeBacker's, Inc. - Air Conditioning & Furnace
- Huxtable LT Service - Plumbing and Electrical Supplies
- Schmidt Building Supply, Inc. - Rear Doors & Insulation
- Dennis Hofstetter & Scout Troop 59 - Labor
- Adam Tritsch & Scout Troop 52 - Labor
- Anthony Henderlong & Scout Troop 249 - Labor
- Joe Zimmerman & Scout Troop 177 - Labor
- Fleenor Plumbing & Heating - Plumbing Installation
- John's Painting & Remodeling - Painting
- Alvin Greeson - Masonry Restoration
- Western Resources - Generators and Storage
- Shawnee County Refuse Dept. - Green Boxes
- Ekdahl, Davis Depew and Perrson - Architectural Services
- Heartland Door and Window - Replacement Windows
- Stearns Davis Paint Central - Interior Paint
- Bud's Floor Sanding Service -Floor Refinishing
- Topeka NIA's - CDBG Block Grant
- Kansas State Historical Society- Heritage Trust Fund Grant
- Gibson Concrete Products - Trenching and Concrete Work
- Met-Con Products Company - Front Porch and Stairs
- Hoss and Brown- Electrical Engineering Work
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