Boomerang from here and back again!
That’s me and scores of other people who were raised in Topeka, left for college and spent years in another city.
Before leaving Topek, I worked at Brewster Place as a CNA. After a 38 year residency in Texas I returned to Topeka and to Brewster Place.
Sure, it’s not the same town that I knew – now missing is White Lakes, the Roost truck stop, Gage 4 Theaters, Macy’s, Boyles Joyland, Peeka Sue (RIP, old friend), Picasso’s, Poor Richards, Rochester Elementary School and Logan Jr. High (my alma maters), and soon, the State Office Building (Docking Building) will be a thing of the past. But, as we all know, time marches on.
My new Topeka has an enhanced Gage Park with an amazing zoo, an updated pool, the rose garden, the train, and the concrete animals that we all played on! The Museum is now better than ever, the Capital building has a new copper dome, and downtown is coming back to life!
I love the pocket parks and the sculptures downtown – especially the buffalo! I plan to visit the ice rink soon and look forward to hearing some great music at the Evergy Plaza! I really like the new restaurants and coffee shops downtown too. It all adds up to a great place to live!
The Parks and Rec Department has really stepped up its game with the great hiking trails all around the city, the Ted Ensley Gardens and now you can walk all the way around Lake Shawnee.
I have to also mention the fine arts here in Topeka, the Mulvane Museum, Topeka Civic Theater and the Topeka Festival Singers, among countless other out-of-the-way artistic venues like NOTO (I love First Fridays!)
Most importantly, so many of my “old” friends are still here, which is one thing I absolutely love about Topeka – it is truly a community with very deep roots. Looks like you can go home again!!!
Guest Services/Assistant
Brewster Place
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1 thought on “There’s No Place Like Home…”
Thanks for sharing your story about returning to Topeka. It’s great to hear about the city’s positive developments, especially in its parks, attractions, and arts scene. It’s also heartwarming to hear about the sense of community and deep roots that people have in Topeka. Overall, it sounds like a wonderful place to live!