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KPCNews.com
Copyright Kendallville Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
Topeka
moves forward with bows to its past
Topeka is a major business center in LaGrange County and a rapidly growing
community. Major companies include Starcraft Marine, Redman Homes and
Nishakawa Standard.
Tucked away in the rural southwest corner of LaGrange County, Topeka was
nonetheless the first town in LaGrange County have its own Internet site
(www.topekain.com).
‘‘Life in the Past Lane” is the town of Topeka’s official
motto, but don’t let that fool you.
Topeka keeps moving forward.
The town expanded its wastewater treatment plant a few years ago in order
to keep up with its industrial expansion, but the quality of that renovation
has been an on-again, off-again controversial issue.
And this year the Town Hall will be moving to a bigger and better building.
The new Town Hall Annex building, 124 East Lake, will be occupied by June.
While the current Town Hall building will become the Topeka Police Department
building.
HISTORY: The town was originally settled in 1835, but was not incorporated
until 1913.
Throughout its history, Topeka has been variously known as Haw Patch,
Slabtown, Haw Patch again, and then Topeka.
It is believed to have been called Slabtown because of a lumber mill that
was started in the area. It was renamed Haw Patch when the Wabash Railroad
brought a line through in 1891.
The town was named Topeka in 1893 when it was replatted. The name Topeka
had been put on a depot railroad workers constructed there in 1891 and
the name stuck. Many of the railroad workers were from Kansas.
Topeka was home to the Sycamore Literary Society, which lasted about 50
years. The group had a literary hall in downtown Topeka that was partially
funded by Andrew Carnegie.
J.N. Babcock of Topeka drew up plans for the hall and requested Carnegie’s
help. Carnegie was unhappy Babcock had contacted him personally for a
library, rather than going through his secretary. Upon discovering that
Babcock wanted a literary hall, Carnegie donated $5,000 toward the project.
Jacob Strauss of Ligonier also donated $5,000.
Sycamore Hall was dedicated on Nov. 24, 1905. The famous poet James Whitcomb
Riley was among the invited guests. In May 1907, Babcock received a letter
from President Theodore Roosevelt praising the activities of the Sycamore
Literary Society.
A fire nearly destroyed the building in 1915. It was rebuilt with insurance
money and donations from the community.
The building stood in downtown Topeka until it was torn down in 1980.
POPULATION: 1,159.
GOVERNMENT: A three-member town council meets at Topeka Town Hall at 4
p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
SERVICES: Town water and sewer. Topeka also provides free garbage collection
to its residents. The Topeka Volunteer Fire Department serves the area.
An EMS unit is stationed at the fire station. It is staffed by one full-time
paramedic and six volunteers.
EDUCATION: The administrative offices of Westview School Corp. are located
at 1545S C.R. 600W, Emma, north of Topeka. Students from the Topeka area
attend Topeka Elementary School (kindergarten through grade four) or Meadowview
Elementary School, then go to Westview Elementary (fifth and sixth grade)
followed by the Junior-Senior High School.
RECREATION: The town has three parks. East Park has a playground, Kids
Kastle, basketball and tennis courts, two ball fields and a pavilion.
West Park has a nature path, pond, pavilion and restrooms. Several industries
helped pay to develop a third park, Little League Ball Field.
HEALTH: Topeka has one doctor’s office with two physicians, one dentist,
two chiropractors, an optometrist office, two veterinarians, and a horse
practitioner.
BANKING: People’s Federal, Farmers State Bank and Taper Lock Employees
Federal Credit Union all have offices in Topeka.
SHOPPING: The town has an active business life with a popular pharmacy
and restaurant and a central hardware store among many others. The town
also has its own Chamber of Commerce, which is very active, sponsoring
several events through the course of the year.
ACCESS: C.R. 700S and C.R. 600W intersect in Topeka and are the main access
routes to the town. S.R. 5 also runs just west of town.
TAX RATE: Taxes for Topeka residents are determined by the township in
which they reside. Those who live in Clearspring Township pay $3.1925
per $100 of assessed valuation, while Eden Township residents pay $3.1788
per $100.
UTILITIES: NIPSCO — electricity and natural gas; LaGrange County
R.E.M.C. — electricity; Sprint — telephone service.
POLICE: Carl Stoltz is the town marshal. He works with one full-time deputy
and three reserve officers. To contact Stoltz, call 593-2882 or the LaGrange
County Sheriff’s Department at 463-7491.
FIRE: For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 593-2883.
EMS: Call 911.
TOWN CLERK: Town Clerk DeWayne Bontrager’s office is at Topeka Town
Hall, South Main Street. He may be reached at 593-2300 .
POST OFFICE: Topeka’s post office may be reached by calling 593-2199.
