While rolling through the Midwest, we passed through
Topeka, KS. where we stayed for a while. It was while we were
there that we were introduced to the history of a sparkling
couple who lived in the mid 1800s. As we learned, it all started
back in 1854 when Anthony and Mary Jane Ward spent 100 hard
earned dollars to purchase 240 acres of river bottom land. Their
first house was a building made out of three cabins on the
property.
When these were combined into one it soon became
known by the locals as the Ward Mansion. Mary Jane, being the
first white woman in Topeka threw herself into making a
comfortable place for travelers to stop by as they crossed the
great frontier. The Ward estate still exists as a 6 acre park
dedicated to telling the story of those early days in Kansas. The
centerpiece is a two story Victorian style limestone and brick
mansion that the Wards built in 1870. Now
renovated, it serves as a popular site for
wedding and other functions. In 1978, as a result of a generous
gift from one of the grandsons, the original old log cabin was
reconstructed. Over time, with loads of volunteers, 8 more
structures, representative of the era, were added to the park.
While standing outside the old whitewashed one room schoolhouse
we met a most wonderful
docent. Jodi Peterson struck up a conversation
and we quickly found out that she was actually a teacher. Jodi
stayed with us for some time telling us stories of the days when
these old buildings were bustling with the comings and going of
the town folk so many years ago. In one of the buildings we
toured we went up the stairs to the second floor of the old
"Potwin Drug Store", where our guide explained the
methods used by the doctors and dentists during that time. In her
period costume, she look perfectly in place as she stood with an
old foot pumped dental drill.
Her smile so warm and genteel, the drill so
menacing. It was quite a combination. The drug store itself was a
historic find. It features probably one of the last working soda
fountains where, for a few modern coins, we got a couple of
cherry phosphates, and settled back to listen to conversations
that might have taken place a hundred years ago. It would have
been hard not to be drawn into such a scene. The inside of the
Ward mansion was furnished with delightful period antiques. The
Wards lived quite comfortably in their later life. The other
attraction in the
park was of particular interest to me. The
Botanical gardens take up several acres. There are over 500
varieties of trees and shrubs, most of which are exotic in this
country. Framing this display were upward of 6000 annual flowers,
planted each year. All in all it was a pleasant way to spend an
afternoon, and Jodi made it all come alive. If you ever get up
that way, this is a good place to stop for a while.
*** THE END ***