SEE TOPEKA

Our tribute to the parks and green spaces of Topeka, Kansas. Thirteen Topeka artists select natural areas meaningful to them and pay homage with works echoing the style of the iconic 1930s WPA National Parks posters

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.

Barbara Waterman-Peters, lead artist of See Topeka project

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.

Mary R. Gage, artist and project organizer for See Topeka

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.”

Pat Abellon

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.

Jordan Brooks

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.

Becky Drager

I’ve been riding and hiking the trails of MacLennan Park since moving here more than 30 years ago. I enjoy the ever-changing 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.

Doug Frye

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.

Mike Henry

I’ve always been a huge flower person. When they developed the Ted Ensley Gardens, it became a real gem for our community. It’s such a peaceful place to go visit.

Cally Krallman

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.

Bradley LeDuc

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.

Gweneth McClain

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.

Alex Olson

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.

Hi Stockwell

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.

Ye Wang

Read more in the summer 2021 edition of Topeka Magazine!

Order prints and posters from our project partner, Parks and Green Spaces at parksandgreenspaces.com.

All images copyright Topeka Magazine / Sunflower Publishing 2021.