Topeka, Kansas

Topeka is the capital of Kansas as well as the county seat of Shawnee County. The city is located in northeastern Kansas, along the Kansas River, to the west of Kansas City. Covering 57.0 sq mi (147.6 sq km), it has a population of 127,000 people (2011 estimate), within a metropolitan area of 231,000 people.

Cedar Crest, the official residence of the Governor of Kansas in Topeka
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CedarCrest.jpg
R.D. Rodriguez


Topeka is noted as one of the cities in the United States with the biggest variation in temperature, precipitation and wind. It experiences a humid continental climate. Summers are hot and humid while winters cold and dry. Highest average temperature is in July, at 89.1°F (31.7°C). Lowest average temperature is in January, at 17.2°F (-8.2°C). June is the wettest month, receiving 4.88 in (124 mm) of rainfall.

The history of Topeka goes back to 1840, when it was a site of a ferryboat crossing established by three half-Kansas Indian sisters. The ferry service allowed travelers on the wagon trail to cross the Kansas River. In the 1850s, a military road linking Topeka with Fort Leavenworth was completed. It helped to increase trade in the area.

Kansas State Capitol, Topeka
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kansas_State_Capitol.jpg
Aviper2k7


After Kansas was admitted to the Union in 1861, Topeka was chosen to be its state capital. Its growth was momentarily interrupted by the American Civil War. In 1954, Topeka was the site of a lawsuit which led to the United States Supreme Court declaring that state laws segregating black and white students as unconstitutional.

In an effort to place Topeka on the IT map, Mayor Bill Bunten proclaimed on March 1, 2010, that Topeka would for the month of March be known as Google, Kansas. In response, Google announced on April 1, that it would change its name to Topeka, to "honor that moving gesture". However there was no official change in name for either entities.

Visiting Topeka

I-70 and I-335 are the main interstate highways linking Topeka with the rest of the country. The I-70 runs east west, connecting Topeka with Kansas City to the east and Junction City to the west. The I-335 runs southwest, continuing as the I-35 towards Wichita.

Places of Interest in Topeka

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