The Topeka Room has the resources for local historians and genealogists, to discover their family connections as well as the stories of Topeka and Shawnee County’s people, places and events.
A few of the more popular items our researchers use are: yearbooks from Topeka high schools and Washburn University; Topeka city directories from 1870 to the present; and an extensive Local History file collection which covers topics like Topeka and Shawnee County people, schools, businesses, churches, and neighborhoods.
Our computer lab provides access to a host of electronic databases as well as a copier, scanner, and a microfilm scanner. The best utilized resource is the specially trained staff to help you with your research needs.
The Local History Digital Collection consists of a wide array of digital reproductions of architectural drawings and blueprints, photographs, oral histories and select topics from our Vertical Files.
Recent Posts
Learning politics from the Kansas Oral History Project
Read about a project to preserve and provide access to the voices of Kansans in all walks of life including those in public policymaking.
Dig into local history – Col. Hughes & the legislative war
Dive into the story behind a struggle for control of the Kansas House of Representatives in the late 1800s.
Uncover personal stories from our community’s past
Stories written by regular people about their lives help us imagine life in Topeka’s past.
Learning About Epidemics & Family History Gives Us Perspective
We all have family members who survived previous epidemics and disease, and we are here as a result.