Topeka Cemetery - Topeka, Kansas
Topeka Cemetery in Topeka, Kansas is the
oldest chartered cemetery in the state of Kansas. The territorial governor
of the Kansas Territory signed the legislation authorizing the cemetery
on February 2, 1859. Other nearby burials from the previous 4 years were
moved to the Topeka Cemetery.
The Topeka Cemetery contains the graves of five governors,
a vice-president, 17 Topeka mayors and many other prominent Kansas residents,
as well as numerous other memorials. Topeka's Jewish cemetery is contained
within Topeka cemetery and sections were reserved for pets, and members
of the Elks, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kansas Episcopal Church, Odd
Fellow, Topeka Orphans Home, and Topeka Typographical Union.
The most striking feature of Topeka Cemetery is the Mausoleum
Row, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
It has 10 large limestone mausoleums in a variety of styles of architecture,
fronted by the James Edwin Hurley Obelisk, dedicated to a former General
Manager of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company. This area
has a nice view of the downtown Topeka skyline to the west.
James Edwin Hurley Obelisk and Mausoleum Row
These signs at the entrances to Topeka Cemetery point out some of the
more prominent burial sites
Memorial to the 16 people who died as a result the 1966 Topeka tornado,
"given as a tribute for those who worked unselfishly in
restoring our city to normalcy and as a memorial to those who lost
their lives in the tornado of June 8, 1966."
The cross originally was erected on the north side of Burnett's Mound,
but was moved to reduce vandalism.
Charles Curtis
Vice President, United States
1829 - 1833
Son of the Kanza Nation
Shawnee County Attorney Congressman
US Senator
Senate Majority Leader
Charles Curtis was the 31st United States Vice President. Curtis was
1/8 Native American, and as a child, lived for
three years on a Kaw reservation. He learned to speak French and Kansa
before he learned English.
Cyrus K. Holliday was a founder of the City of Topeka and the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
"Erected by G.G. Gage, to the memory of his comrades who fell at the
Battle of the Blue.
October 22, 1864
By the blood of these heroes, and their compatriots, this great republic
was made to live."
Crawford-Capper Burial Site
Samuel Crawford, publisher, attorney, farmer, and financial agent,
served as third Governor of Kansas, 1865-1869,
and as head of the 19th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, 1868-1869.
His wife Isabel, the daughter of Enoch Chase, a founder of Topeka,
at age 18 became the youngest First Lady of Kansas.
Arthur Capper, the 20th Governor of
Kansas, 1915-1919, and U.S. Senator, 1919-1949,
married Florence, the daughter of Samuel and Isabel Crawford.
He founded Capper Foundation for Crippled Children and Capper Publications
Hal Foster who created the comic strip Prince Valiant is buried in
section 55
Massachusetts granite monument dedicated to members of the Topeka
Typographical Union
Topeka Cemetery Map
Guide to
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