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 However the two sites are closed for the Holidays until Thursday, January 2nd, 2025.
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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
January 26th Lofts in Topeka 3pm Mark Burenheide at 1118 SE Madison
February 2nd Topeka Radio Stations 3pm Marshall Barber at 1118 SE Madison
February 16th Old Movie Theaters 3pm Bill Shaffer at 1118 SE Madison
March 2nd Nick Chiles 3pm Sonja Czarnecki at 1118 SE Madison
March 16th Civic Theater 3pm Shannon Reilly at 1118 SE Madison
March ?? Show and Tell 3pm 1118 SE Madison
March ?? Rossville Baseball Stadium 3pm Undecided where
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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
Shawnee County Historical Society
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. In December of that year, the young organization published its first Bulletin. The SCHS Bulletins are well-researched softbound book-length publications written by local scholars, educators, and historians Since then, the Society has published 85 Bulletins on the history, culture, and heritage of Topeka and Shawnee County. Copies of the Bulletins are available for purchase through the Society. See the Archives tab for a few of the available titles or contact us by phone or email to inquire about available subjects, titles, and prices. The Bulletin has been replaced by the Historical Highlights newsletter which is sent to members quarterly. Historical Highlights continues the tradition of the Bulletin by featuring articles of historical interest, still written with the same level of research and scholarship.
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Shawnee County Historical Society is located in the Cox Communications Heritage Education Center at 1118 SE Madison Street Topeka, Kansas.
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In 1995 the Society acquired the house located at 1116 SE Madison Ave in Topeka. The core home was built in 1856 by John and Mary Jane Ritchie, two abolitionists who had come to Kansas Territory from Indiana in 1855 to join the fight to bring Kansas into the Union as a Free State. The Ritchie's turned their home into a haven for freedoms seekers, becoming a station on the Underground Railroad. The home had gone through different occupancies and living configurations since 1856 and had been extensively modified. The research was conducted, a capital campaign was begun, and an extensive restoration was undertaken to return the home to its 1856 appearance. The home is now on the Kansas Register of Historic Places, the National Register of Historic Places, and is open for tours. The home is also an integral part of the SCHS education program. Individual and group tours are available. Contact us to schedule a special tour for your group or organization.
In January 2003 the Shawnee County Historical Society absorbed the assets of Historic Topeka.
In 2011 we opened the Cox Communications Heritage Education Center to the public. The purpose was to offer area schools a chance to experience a deeper understanding of Shawnee County culture and history.
Since its inception in 1855 Shawnee County's history has been the history of America and we strive to preserve that history for future generations as a flame, lighting the way to a better America
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