SUMMER 2021
See
Topeka!
OUR TRIBUTE TO THE CITY’S GREEN SPACES Including original 1930s-style park posters from some of Topeka’s best artists
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
FROM THE EDITOR SUMMER 2021 | VOLUME 15, NO. 3
Editor Nathan Pettengill Art Director/Designer Alex Tatro Copy Editor Leslie Andres Advertising Representative Angie Taylor ataylor@sunflowerpub.com (785) 832-7236 Ad Designer Alex Tatro Photographers Nick Krug Bill Stephens Writer Mary R. Gage
Welcome to the summer issue of Topeka Magazine! This issue is a special project featuring the works of 13 Topeka artists honoring our city’s parks and green spaces. Their creations are an homage to the 1930s-era series of posters exploring the nation’s National Parks as well as an artistic affirmation that there is majesty and grandeur in the natural surroundings close to us at home. Beginning on June 1 at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, and then in other locations during the summer, you can view large-scale images of these works on display as Topeka Magazine, our partner the Parks and Green Spaces project, and area venues host a series of showings. Look for updates on our magazine’s Facebook page. You can also order copies of your own prints—with a share of proceeds going to support the artists and Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library—at parksandgreenspaces.com. We hope you enjoy this celebration of the city’s parks and green spaces, and we hope to see you in person out on the trails, in the gardens or having the time of your life at Animaland this summer!
Artists Pat Abellon Jordan Brooks Becky Drager Doug Frye Mary R. Gage Mike Henry Cally Krallman Brad LeDuc Gweneth McClain Alex Olson Hi Stockwell Ye Wang Barbara Waterman-Peters Subscriptions $27 for a one-year subscription, including Topeka SR; order at sunflowerpub.com
Please contact us at topekamagazine@sunflowerpub.com for all comments, subscription and editorial queries.
— NAT H A N P E T T E N G I L L , E D I T O R Topeka Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of Ogden Publications. Director: Bob Cucciniello Publisher: Bill Uhler Ogden Publications 1503 SW 42nd St Topeka, KS 66609 SUMMER 2021
On the Cover See
Topeka!
OUR TRIBUTE TO THE CITY’S GREEN SPACES Including original 1930s-style park posters from some of Topeka’s best artists
“Animaland” illustration variation by Brad LeDuc.
sunflowerpub.com topekamag.com
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
See Topeka A celebration of the city’s parks and green spaces STORY BY
T
hroughout Topeka and Shawnee County, 109 public parks beckon with playgrounds, tulips, ponds and pools, creeks, skate parks and towering trees. Topekans also have access to a system of public trails, the privately owned Illif Commons, Kaw River State Park—the only urban state park in Kansas, the green area around the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, and more. In all, residents can enjoy thousands of acres of outdoor spaces. This summer edition of Topeka Magazine is a tribute to the city’s parks and green spaces, from the wellknown and much-beloved attractions of Gage Park to the
Mary R. Gage
lesser-known and less-visited locations such as Dornwood Park. To carry out this project, we have commissioned and included in these pages original works of art from 13 Topeka artists, each one choosing a park or green space that is either a personal favorite or that holds some particular meaning to them. We asked the artists to create images in their signature style but also that were reminiscent of the famous 1930s-era National Parks poster series. This series of historic posters became iconic artistic creations that celebrated the majesty and grandeur of natural settings—and that is our goal as well, to celebrate the parks and green spaces around us and to
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remind us of the wonder and magnificence that they can bring to our lives, to our community. Parks and green spaces have always been important to our collective well being. One clear takeaway from the past year of shutdowns, indoor isolation and social distancing is the essential value of public outdoor spaces. Tim Laurent, director of Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, believes the past year has brought a renewed appreciation for areas that are open, safe and natural. Appointed director in July 2019 after spending 25 years working in neighboring Douglas County for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department, Laurent says he was “blown away” after he arrived in Topeka and realized the magnitude of the park system. The legacy of Topeka’s vast system of parks and green spaces was never a foregone conclusion. Early city leaders did make significant investments, such as the 1886 purchase of the 3.36 acres as Chesney Park, which would become popular for its bandstand and children’s wading pool. But the concept of the public’s right to natural recreational spaces was not fully established. Indeed, some of the more popular green spaces were semi-commercial ventures, such as Vinewood Park, which featured natural spaces along with
amusement rides and a dance hall in an area that is now part of Lake Shawnee. It took work by activists such as Eva Harding—a physician, suffragette, and children’s education advocate—to push authorities to include public green spaces and recreational areas as an integral part of the city’s planned growth. In 1960, the city adopted a “Master Plan Report: Parks Recreation Areas, and Open Spaces.” The plan set a vision for the standards and the development of neighborhood, community and regional parks and led to the establishment of the community center network that remains in place to this day. The regional population boom in the late 1900s led to authorities issuing new guiding documents, the 2001 TopekaShawnee County Regional Trails and Greenways Plan, and then the 2005 City of Topeka Parks & Open Space Plan. This second document became part of the city’s comprehensive plan that would guide development to 2025. It called for keeping the development of new park systems in pace with urban growth, preserving historic and environmental sites and expanding the concept of “open space” to include not just park areas but pockets of green within the fabric of the city and county infrastructure. These ideals continue to shape current plans.
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“We’ve put new playground equipment in thirteen parks,” says Laurent. “We’ve done a substantial renovation of Hillcrest Community Center, adding basketball courts, a new fitness center and an outdoor futsal court. Another project we’re in the process of finishing is an extension of the Deer Creek Trail.” The completion of these projects will add to the existing system of parks and facilities, which require maintenance and upkeep. “We’re spending a lot of time right now trying to address those areas that need attention,” says Laurent. “It’s not super exciting to talk about, but [these are] things that are absolutely necessary like repaving parking lots, repairing sidewalks and roads, and widening trails.” Looking to the future, Laurent and his team have been working on large-scale additions, such as riverfront development near the newly acquired Great Overland Station. There are also plans for a multigenerational park at west Topeka’s Family Park. The wish list for this park includes a playground, an outdoor fitness park area, pickleball courts, a pump track for skateboarders, and maybe even an indoor ice-skating rink. “I think it’s going to be unlike anything Topeka currently has. We set out to create a park that would really meet the
needs of all—a multigenerational park. We tried to keep that concept in mind that we wanted to have something for every member of the family, no matter how old or how young they were. I think we’re going to accomplish that. I don’t have unlimited funding, so it’s going to take time to get that park built, but we think we’ve got a really solid plan and we’re really excited about it.” He also looks to finishing a trail extension that will create an extensive path for pedestrians and cyclists. “When the Deer Creek extension is finished, you’ll be able to get on the Shunga Trail in southwest Topeka near 29th and Fairlawn and go through seven different parks and 20 miles of continuous trail to end up at Lake Shawnee, where you can ride another seven-mile loop trail around the lake.” Both Shunga Trail and Lake Shawnee are two of the parks and green spaces honored by artists in these pages. We hope you enjoy seeing these familiar locations in these pages with a new appreciation. But, of course, the best way to see and enjoy these locations is in person. We hope these images and the statements about Topeka’s parks and green spaces inspire you to return to familiar spaces and explore new ones throughout the city this summer and in the years to come.
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Kaw River State Park ARTIST
Barbara Waterman-Peters, Lead Artist for See Topeka project
L O C AT I O N I N F O
Dedicated as a State Park in 2010, this area of land runs along the Kaw River (or Kansas River), which is recognized as part of the National Water Trails System by the National Park Service.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I love rivers. I love the Kansas River in particular. I go across the bridge almost daily and watch the beautiful river in various lighting conditions and different weather conditions—when it’s low and there are lots of sandbars showing, and when it’s high and running. It’s alive. The magic of the river is how alive it is and how meaningful it has been to me in my life.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
SKYLINE PARK SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
Skyline Park ARTIST
Mary Remboldt Gage, Founding Artist for See Topeka project
L O C AT I O N I N F O
In April 2021, the Citizens Potawatomi Nation dedicated three signs at the entrance to the park that tell how the Potawatomi were forced at gunpoint to leave their homes in modern-day Indiana for a forced march of approximately 660 miles to arrive at their designated lands in this region.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I grew up in the shadow of Burnett’s Mound and could see it from my house. It had a presence and seemed mystical somehow. It’s great how accessible it is now that it’s Skyline Park and has all those wonderful trails. The hike to the big, expansive view at the top is worth every step.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
LAKE SHAWNEE SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
Lake Shawnee ARTIST
Pat Abellon
L O C AT I O N I N F O
Lake Shawnee, like the county, takes its name from the Shawnee Nation, whose original treaty boundaries in the mid1800s extended from the Kansas River south, almost to Burlingame in present-day Osage County.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“For years, Shawnee Lake has been my go-to place to relax. The gazebo overlooks the beauty of what the lake is really about. It magnifies every detail, every edge and every color that makes Lake Shawnee, Lake Shawnee.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
GARFIELD PARK SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
Garfield Park ARTIST
Jordan Brooks
L O C AT I O N I N F O
Shawnee County Commissioner and park historian Bill Riphahn notes that in 1888 this location witnessed the “Sinking of the Pinafore,” when a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore was performed on a barge in Soldier Creek that listed and left the entire cast and crew knee-deep in water. Nobody was seriously harmed, and the critics were greatly amused.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I live in North Topeka and work at the school by Garfield Park. I observed different people sitting on the same green bench, and everyone walking around would stop right past that bench. When I sat there, I realized you could pretty much see everything. You see the walkway and how it gradually turns and dips down towards the train tracks, and then all of the sudden a train goes by. It’s probably one of the best places to just sit. It anchored me.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
TED ENSLEY
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Parks & Green Spaces
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
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The area that is now the Ted Ensley Gardens dates back to Lake Shawnee’s original construction as a WPA project in 1935.
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A R T I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
WARD-MEADE SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
Ward-Meade Park ARTIST
Gweneth McClain
L O C AT I O N I N F O
“The Ward-Meade family bought this land from a member of the Kaw tribe and started a wheelwright business,” says historian Bill Riphahn. “The Oregon Trail crossed their land, so they were always fixing wagons. They made their own brick to build the house.”
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A R T I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“My husband and I walk to Ward-Meade Park with our dog quite often. I’m just amazed at the gardens. There’s a sense of intimacy with all the plants and flowers and trees, and it’s so inspiring and peaceful. I walk in there and say, ‘ahhhh.’ It’s such a beautiful, comforting place right here in the middle of town.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
SHUNGA TRAIL SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Shunga Trail ARTIST
Becky Drager
L O C AT I O N I N F O
Much of the Shunga Trail follows the route of the Shunganunga Creek. Now regarded as a natural green oasis at the heart of the city, this creek bed was originally touted by developers in the 1850s as an abundant source of wood and even coal.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“The Shunga Trail is really a Topeka jewel. It winds through the city, connecting people with nature. All the activities you can do are enhanced because you’re surrounded by native grasses, trees, birds, butterflies and flowers. The benches lining the trail let you rest and reflect. You might see a hawk fly over or hear the water run in Shunga Creek.”
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Parks & Green Spaces
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Parks & Green Spaces
SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
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SW Gage Blvd
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WARD-MEADE
SHUNGA TRAIL SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
GAGE PARK TRAIN
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Parks & Green Spaces
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SEE TOPEKA
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SKYLINE PARK SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
SW Topeka Blvd
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MAP OF TOPEKA PARK POSTERS
L O C AT I O N S
01 | Kaw River State Park 02 | Skyline Park 03 | Lake Shawnee
335
04 | Garfield Park 05 | Ted Ensley Gardens 06 | Ward-Meade Park
07 | Shunga Trail 08 | Animaland 09 | Dornwood
470
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NW To
peka
Blvd
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ILIFF COMMONS SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
GARFIELD PARK SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
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SW 21st St
09 DORNWOOD PARK SEE TOPEKA
LAKE SHAWNEE
Parks & Green Spaces
SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
03
470
05 TED ENSLEY
GARDENS SEE TOPEKA
Parks & Green Spaces
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
ANIMALAND SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Animaland ARTIST
Brad LeDuc
L O C AT I O N I N F O
These concrete playground structures were created in 1960 and have been refurbished to entertain another generation of children. “There’s nothing like it that I know of,” says historian Bill Riphahn. “And what’s amazing is that they’ve held up so well over the years.”
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“My family and I have lived in Topeka since 2008 and raised our two young boys here. Gage Park Animaland was always one of their favorite places to go, and there’s a sense of nostalgia whenever I’m there. I was always a big fan of the whale. The sculptures are great; they’re kind of timeless. I can’t even imagine how many great memories have been made there over the decades by the kids playing on them.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
DORNWOOD PARK SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Dornwood ARTIST
Hi Stockwell
L O C AT I O N I N F O
This area of land has hosted several different ventures, including a dairy farm at one time. “The city bought the land from Alf Landon,” says historian Bill Riphahn. Remnants of old stone dairy buildings can still be seen there.
A R T I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I didn’t know much about Dornwood Park, but I like Topeka history, so I knew about an earlier park in the same area called Vinewood. It was a very active area in the 1920s with a Ferris wheel. The area around the ruins of the stone barn is really interesting. I think people would find it a fascinating place to go. It’s a fascinating park.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
ILIFF COMMONS SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
Iliff Commons ARTIST
Ye Wang
L O C AT I O N I N F O
The land’s owners, Douglas and Dorothy Iliff, have held controlled burns and reseeded the landscape to restore native plants and grass onto their patch of prairie. Though Iliff Commons is private property, respectful visitors may walk, run and play on the area’s trails.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I live about a mile and a half away from there, and I go there often and take my daughter. The wonderful thing about it is it’s like a tallgrass prairie. The trails go down deep into the woods to the creek, and you can walk in the woods and stay in the shade. There’s a log house, a tree house and swings. My daughter loves to play there. It’s a beautiful place.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
MACLENNAN SEE TOPEKA Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Nick Krug
MacLennan Park ARTIST
Doug Frye
L O C AT I O N I N F O
The predominantly oak and hickory woods of MacLennan Park are a great example of native Kansas forest landscape.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I’ve been riding and hiking the trails of MacLennan Park since moving here more than 30 years ago. I enjoy the everchanging views in the park—the ponds hidden in the forest, the hay bales dotting the hillside in the summer and the multiple flowers above the fishing ponds. Besides that, it’s the highest point north of Burnett’s Mound and allows a full view of south Topeka, my favorite sight in the city.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
GAGE PARK TRAIN SEE TOPEKA
Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Gage Park Mini-Train Route ARTIST
Alex Olson
L O C AT I O N I N F O
The mini-train opened in 1967 and has continued running for nearly 55 years thanks to park mechanics who have maintained the train and the tracks and who also have manufactured parts when required.
A RT I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I grew up going to Gage Park and loved everything about it—the zoo, the carousel, the train, the animal sculptures. I went to a day camp in Gage Park and spent a lot of time exploring the park and the wildlife, and swam at the pool every day. It felt like our home each summer. Going back as an adult, I realize how incredibly special it is. It truly is a gem of Topeka.”
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TOPEKA MAGAZINE | Summer 2021
REINISCH ROSE GARDEN
SEE TOPEKA
Parks & Green Spaces
Summer 2021 | TOPEKA MAGAZINE
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ARTIST PHOTOGRAPH BY Bill Stephens
Reinisch Rose Garden ARTIST
Mike Henry
L O C AT I O N I N F O
Long regarded as the city’s premier showcase for roses, the garden is estimated to show off more than 4,500 roses.
A R T I S T O N T H E L O C AT I O N
“I like the symmetry of the rose gardens, the ponds, the posts with lanterns and the pathways. It’s laid out north to south and east to west. There’s a lot of one-point perspective. Fine art tends away from symmetry, so it was a challenge finding asymmetry in a symmetrical environment.”
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