Lots of buildings here. The oldest is log cabin which was the residence of a wealthy early Topekan until his mansion was finished in 1874. Other buildings were moved there over the years. Included is a train caboose and a school house. A wigwam made of tree bark was also recently built there by a local Indian tribe.

Great place - exceeded expectations. We arrived around 9:00 am and had the place to ourselves. It was being dressed up for fall and was lovely. We walked the garden path that was laid out for a special occasion and were very surprised by the variety of plants and how well laid out it was. The buildings were interesting and the staff in the stores were very gracious. If in the area, it is worth the time. We spent about an hour and a half there.

On our last visit to Topeka, we ‘discovered’ the Old Prairie Town, right in the middle of Topeka. This is an impressive collection of historic buildings that have been relocated to the Historic Site. The centerpiece is the Ward-Meade house, one of the early posh houses in the Topeka area. With a little time, we decided to return. This time we took a guided tour. Our tour guide took us first into the house. An impressive house for the times. Then onto the other buildings at the Site: The 1880 Everest Church, The Mulvane General Store, The Potwin Drug Store, The Lingo Livery Stable, The Santa Fe Train Depot, The Victor Schoolhouse and The 1880 Everest Church. The guide was knowledgeable and did a nice job of taking us around all the buildings. We were once again impressed that the Site existed as well as pleased at how well they’ve restored the buildings.Glad we returned.

Lovely place. Can’t believe more people aren’t talking about it. So happy we found it and spent a lovely afternoon there.

If there ever was one, this is a little hidden jewel. I'm not one for superlatives. But I'm impressed. Topeka has not been known for it's interesting features. In fact, it's been rather dull. I've visited here with my wife (her hometown) for over 40 years. I've consistently looked for interesting activities. This one is hidden. Even Topeka doesn't seem to highlight it. The city has combined a botanical garden with the recreation of a historical area. The 'Town' is a grouping of buildings that have been moved to the site from various other areas. They've done a nice job of renovating them. There's a church, a drugstore, a train station, an old mansion, a primitive cabin, a blacksmith shop and others. Beyond the 'Town' there's a botanical garden. We visited on a blustery November day and it was still nice. They provide a tour for about $5 that goes into the various buildings. Unfortunately we couldn't take the tour. But even so, we got to experience the feel of a time gone by. I'm so impressed that Topeka has taken it upon itself to develop this area. Will come back on a future visit.