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Oakland
A discussion of Oakland's boundaries can spark a heated debate. Some
might say the area is confined to north of Seward Avenue. Others argue
the logical choice is Division Street.
Regardless of where Topeka ends and Oakland begins, the area was an
1880s suburb of Topeka and was a separate town until 1924. Downtown
Oakland is also the point of some contention, although the main downtown
area is located near the intersection of Chester and Thomas streets.
Chester Thomas was a founder of the Oakland community, but a separate
downtown area along Sardou Avenue doesn't bear his namesake.
Visitors often say Oakland has a different look and feel than Topeka.
The area is an older section of the city, but is unlike other aging
parts of town. Oakland has several older homes, including houses that
once belonged to early French settlers.
The Oakland area also could have boosted the city into the airplane
industry, but a manufacturing plant in north Oakland closed its doors
in the 1920s. The region is also home to the Sante Fe and Oakland
parks, and the Mousetrap < a newly constructed skateboard park.
Oakland is the beneficiary of a $100 million construction project
built to enhance the city's role as a regional economic center. A
new interchange will connect the Oakland Expressway to Interstate
70 and the Kansas Turnpike, creating a transportation loop around
Topeka.
The expressway, also known as K-4 highway, links US-24 and US-40 highways
on the city's east side.
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