The Historic Ritchie House
Home of John and Mary Jane Ritchie
Kansas Territorial Settlers of Topeka and a stop on the Underground Railroad
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Cox Communications
Heritage Education Center
Shawnee County Historical Society
1116 and 1118 SE Madison Street
Topeka, Kansas 66601
785-234-6097
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Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 to 1pm
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Adults $2.00 Students $.50
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Learn about the Bleeding Kansas era of the 1850's. And see an Underground Railroad Site and learn about the quest for Freedom before the Civil War.
Click on picture above to learn more about the House built in 1856
In the coming weeks, the Shawnee County Historical Society will present these various programs.
2025 Programs
May 19th Guilford Gage 7pm Devin Cooper at Topeka Public Library
June 28th Somerset Cafe in Dover 3pm Get some pie and find out its history
July 20th Flash Light Tour of Clock Tower 3pm $10 Ticket needed to tour Menninger Hill
August 17th Tour of Colored Woman's Club 3pm 1149 Lincoln
September Preservation Awards 2pm Statehouse 1st Floor
October 13th Historic Homes Tour 1-5pm Ticket necessary to join the tour
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All programs are free to Historical Society members however non members will be asked to donate $5 to attend.
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The Shawnee County Historical Society formed in 1946. It's founders recognized the need to preserve the facts and legends of the early days of our county up to more recent times.
The Historic Ritchie House
and Cox Communications Heritage Education Center
Shawnee County Historical Society
1116 and 1118 SE Madison Ave
P.O. Box 2201 Topeka, Kansas 66601
785 234-6097
Educational Resource Links
The Shawnee County Historical Society and the Ritchie Education Initiative have created quick resource links for research. Both students and teachers will find these resources to be of great assistance for Kansas studies. Click here for a link to the Shawnee County Historical Society's education resource page.
Additional Online Research
Shawnee County Historical Society
Kansas Historical Society
Kansas Memory
Territorial Kansas Online
Historic Sites and Museums
Arabia Steamboat Museum
Black Jack Battlefield
Brown v Topeka Board of Education National Historic Site
Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area
Kansas Museum of History
Film and Historic Performance
Kansas Alliance of Professional Historical Performers
Lone Chimney Films
LvngHstry
