An absolute hidden gem. Why Topeka Parks and Rec doesn’t make this place better known, I have no idea. It is a treasure buried inside a north Topeka neighborhood.You’ll find historic buildings with descriptions of their original uses, old artifacts, a replica of old-time general store and drugstore, and an incredible treasure of secluded gardens meticulously maintained by local organizations.It’s all worth it. And the kids (and adults) will appreciate the malt shop operating inside the drugstore.

Beautiful place to walk around and go back in time. Highly recommend going here. Very family friendly. Great place to take pictures.

Pretty neat place, but most of it is NOT from Topeka originally. So thats why Ive given it only 4 stars. The kids will love it. Be sure to visit the old pharmacy and the 1800s bank.

My only complaint is that the ice cream shop wasnt open. The sign said open until 4pm, but it was closed. Otherwise, I love everything about this place!

Love the openness and flowers enjoy watching and feeding the fish

We went to the garden glow & it was absolutely breathtaking! We could not have been more impressed & it far exceeded our expectations! Perfect time of the year too.

Stopped by at this place to have a picnic on our way back home to Chicago. Lovely and beautiful place. Its nice to walk around and see old model home and train stops.

Lovely time, nobody was there kinda perfect day date after a apocalypse.

Wonderful gardens, historic buildings and old fashioned drugstore, soda fountain. Beautiful place for a wedding or gathering.

The family and I stopped here on a trip out west. We absolutely loved it! An 1800s town all laid out for you to walk around in coupled with some nice botanical gardens AND ITS FREE!! There is a gift shop and a ice cream soda shop (old school pharmacy) that you can stop at and enjoy some refreshments at. They have a tour as well but you should check their site for hours.

Always well cared for! The botanical garden was fabulous.

I love visiting Ward-meade historical park & botanical garden as it makes me feel that I step back in history. The garden is beautiful with its path all the way through & stream, bridges waterfall, gazebo, benches & of course gorgeous vegetation of all kinds!

Such a cool little park. Love all the tulips during April and the botanical garden is a nice peaceful area to walk. My kids love the ice cream shop and the general store.

I went to the glow event great place to do sonethng different

I loved it. Had a GREAT time!

I have been there for the first time as it is the time for Tulip festival and it was pretty beautiful. Easy to navigate, spend some time there and see those beautiful flowers and lights.

We enjoy coming here. My children and I. We frequent this environment just to get away (while not leaving town at all).The little soda Shoppe was open, so we grabbed some root beer and green river floats.COVID aside, our experience is always refreshing. The floral smells from the botanical garden. The boys really enjoy watching the koi pond and seeing some of the fish surface for scraps. They get a kick out of that.Hopefully, COVID goes away in time for AppleFest. Twould be a shame to lose this event just as it is picking up steam.

Very good place to visit and take a walk back in time

Loved the tulip festival this year. Beautiful flowers and beautiful preserved cultural things.

Peace full

Nice place to visit, the gardens were really nice

Nice little place to spend a few minutes at.

Its so parity and beautiful there and u can get the peace of mind some times the bathroom all way smells funny but u can pick appels and flowers and feed the fish there most of the people that go there look at u Funny just say hello to them .

This area of town was fun to visit until trying to park! Had to drive around the block five times to find a space at the right time. I literally stood in a space so a friend could park and a man bumped my body with his car. Some Topeka residents are just plain rude! Would HCC have been perfect without the parking issue! Loved the soldier memorial!!!

Tulips at Twilight 2018 was awesome! Neat facility and nice people running the event!

Such a lovely quiet park with the most beautiful flowers! Cool buildings! Soda Shop!

We had a great time today in the weather was beautiful. She especially enjoyed the petting zoo and the prospecting where she found gems & sharks teeth!

We visited on a Saturday. Two buildings were open. One store sold cheap souvenirs. The whole town had a tidy, sterile feeling. You can buy a ticket for a tour and your guide will unlock the buildings and allow you to look inside. Tours on Saturday happen twice so good luck with the timing. There didnt seem to be much point in this attraction. We saw one other person walking around. Really, just dont bother.

Ward Meade Park is a beautiful oasis in central Topeka. From a summer day with a green river soda for yesteryear served up from the period soda fountain, to Apple Fest where kids can see a black smith at work or make rope. The gardens are a beautiful setting for weddings This park is unusual as it is an entertainment complex . A great walking park with ponds a national class rose garden. A carousel., a regional class zoo, and a very capable playhouse make it a regional class destination.

This place is amazing and our guide for the day I believe was Mr Jim he was amazing and so informative. Felt like a family member telling a story of the past. We loved it! We will definitely take others there and to the beautiful garfens!!

Great small place to visit

This is a really neat pocket park that is tucked away and not really given the proper amount of recognition it desrves.

I really enjoyed walking through the gardens and think it would be a nice place to sit and read. Having visited similar preserved old towns, I wasnt very impressed by the buildings. You couldnt even look through the windows on most of them to see inside. Also, the ladies who run the gift shop dont seem to like people that much.

Very good place to visit! Reminded me of past Days. There is old prairie town to see with it shops and a railroad hand car that you can ride. Very good for kids. The Ward Meade garden is beautiful.

Beautiful grounds and gardens. A nice selection of restored buildings and friendly, helpful staff. Fantastic drug store at the end of your tour.

This was a neat experience. I wish our tour guide would have been a little more informative and more of a history buff. (And perhaps had better hygiene. He was a smoker) It was cool to see inside the buildings and you also get to try a free soda from the soda fountain! A green river, a lime flavored soda! It was delicious! They are doing lots of things in the landscaping getting ready for spring and the ladies working there were phenomenal and quite friendly!

Its pretty and quite in the evening

Awesome park and botanical garden to visit

A recreation of a prairie town with many structures transplanted from original locale to make up a late 19th century town. Some buildings not open. Those that were had sparse to full furnishings.

The history is amazing

A beautiful hidden gem in Topeka, KS. A perfect place to walk and relax, all awhile being surrounded by Topeka and Kansas history.

The bathrooms were open and the two buildings that sold items. The rest of the buildings were locked up and we were unable to view them. They had tours but only two and we couldnt wait around for them for a couple hours. Little disappointed but if you go when theyre unlocked it would be a pretty good experience I believe

Great place to spend outdoors. Great for senior pics or just a picnic place. Nice piece of history. Love the ice cream parlor.

Very nice place and educational. But only 1 place was open and their machines were all down so she had to add everything up on paper and cash only.

Fun! Potwin Drug Store is a must visit. Old fashioned ice cream soda was awesome. Friendly staff too

Very well kept and I interesting park with old shops and a mansion museum.

Its like a fine wine it gets greater every year.

Great place to spend the day with the family. Needs some more modern businesses to properly compete with todays economy.

Great & historic

Wonderful park to check out. I really enjoyed all of the restored buildings they had on site. It really was a pleasure for me to see the church there. I helped to remove additions and prepare the church to move from Everest to the park. Was really neat to see the finished results.

Garden is lovely with many varieties ok f hostas and day lilies. The town section was ok.

They had the Apple festival there and I was there selling my Canes and walking sticks and wood carving crafts

Very interesting, beautiful, and historic house and grounds. However, you couldnt pay me to spend the night there! ;-)

A great place to visit to see some history. Its well maintained.

We had a super fun time especially at the soda shop. Truly a step back in time for all the family to enjoy!

They have done so much over the years and it is just Beuteful

A fun historical experience and the garden is beautiful for walking

Absolutely beautiful. I was there for a funeral but it was a heart warming place to say goodbye!!!

I cant believe Ive lived in Topeka for over ten years and didnt know this wonderful place existed! Had a great time at Tulips at Twilight. Will definitely visit again!

Beautiful gardens! Fun event.

My daughters have been going to Ward-Meade with their grandparents for years. Whenever we visit Topeka, it is one of their favorite things to do. Of course, one of the best parts for them is going to the old pharmacy for a green river or root beer float! I highly recommend visiting, whether for the full tour, or just stopping in for a treat. We will always have the experience as a happy memory.

Good place to meet. It is odd that my group keeps getting locked in at the Pharmacy.

Absolutely love this place they take such good care of the grounds all of the plants and trees and flowers are absolutely beautiful I always enjoy the Apple Festival so much fun so much entertainment its really a fun day for just me or with the family.

Its a relaxing and interesting area.

Always a nice place to visit. The gardens are kept very clean and beautiful. Lots of flowers in bloom, made for a great day for pictures.

I attended a beautiful wedding here last Saturday. The chapel was quaint, and the mansion and gardens were stunning. Loved it. I would definitely recommend this lovely place. (could definitely use more restrooms)

A great place to spend some time and the gardens are nice when they are in full bloom.

Beautiful park, but poorly managed and ridiculously overpriced.

Beautiful gardens, historic buildings, and a soda fountain!

Great outing for the whole family. The flowers are awesome and the tour is too. Even my 8 year wants to go back.

This place is awesome! Really shows you how people lived in those times. They have this huge house you can tour that is set up exactly the way it was with antique furniture and everything really cool place to visit when coming to Topeka

Very nice preservation of historical buildings

I love this little town! The tour was great and would 100% recommend it to anyone coming to the area!

Always friendly staff that dont interfere with your experience unless you want them to. Make sure you come when the general store is open and bring a camera to capture some awesome shots. Get a drink at the soda shop. Always a rewarding experience.

Just drive by buy its pretty unique

Best at bringing back the past. The stores are wonderful

History, tulips, great food. Whats not to like!

Always fun to go to d Prairie Town with out if town guest. Also the Tulip Time event is outstanding.

Very nice place to just take in some scenery and get away from the hustle and bustle of the City. Not a huge park but definitely big enough. Plus they have quite a few historical places of interest on the property.

Great old buildings. Actually moved here from their original sites. Including a railroad station. Old general store, dentist office, ice cream store which does sell treats, blacksmith shop, livery stable and more.

OMG I love old Prarie Town it is so awesome and I learned a whole lot from everyone one there

Lots of fun!!Take the tour because it is so worth it!!!!

I visited prairie town on a field trip with my classmates .we learned about its history and had our class in the one room schoolhouse it was a very educational experience.

Our Country Quilters meet here once a month ..

Pretty little park, great flower garden, and enjoyed the old-fashioned soda fountain. Unfortunately, historic buildings are all locked... unless you pay for a tour, which can add up if you have a large family.

Great place! Meet the nicest lady there, she shared lots of stories with us. Highly recommend!

Very friendly lady who works at the Prairie Town soda fountain. A step back in time when you walk into the soda fountain and order a malted milk.

The Botanical garden is one of the prettiest ive seen so far in topeka its small and quaint and perfect to catch amazing photos! The Town itself as a whole is a cute little mix of history and education. Definitely invest in the tour though seeing the inside of the meade house and getting those extra facts...totally worth it! the tour guide was very fun and sensitive to the fact we brought younger children which was awesome!!

It was fun but some of the people were very rude and were not very understanding. I dont really recommend calling them with questions because they are rude.

Love the unique history here. Very friendly, informative staff. My granddaughters really liked it too.

Very nice place and has nice gardens and a cool little koi pond

Cute place. Nice people, off the beaten path.

Nice historic place nestled in a residential neighborhood. Reminds you of ole life on the 1800s

Good for weddings if you dont mind the sound of the highway, nice and quaint location, good for photos.

This place ended up being quite the letdown for us. Our family of 5 showed up on Wednesday, September 6th and paid $16 for the 2 p.m. tour. We were the only ones on the grounds and pretty excited to essentially have a personal tour. The lady running the gift shop was wonderful and very friendly keeping us entertained while we waited for the tour guide who showed up 10 mins late reeking to high heaven of cigarettes.He walked into the gift shop where we were waiting, didnt introduce himself or seem too excited to be there and said, If youre ready, lets go. We walk out onto the porch of the gift shop and he immediately says, Im not going to get too much into the history. Its boring. Ok, well what in the world did we just pay for?? We honestly should have turned around at that point and requested a refund, but we wanted to see inside the buildings.Since Google only allows so many words to a review, I will give you all the information he gave us without including all the unanswered questions we have.Stop #1: A large cabin. He unlocks the door, lets us in and says, Imagaine 8 people living here. You have to haul water in from the river twice a day and you sleep outside in the summer because its hot. He then lets us walk around the 3 room cabin without another word. Theres pictures and items on the wall, but nothing containing any additional information.Stop #2: A white mansion across the way. He says, This was built in 4 years. The man who built it died a year after it was completed. The walls are 16 thick. There are 5 bedrooms upstairs. There is no bathroom because there was no plumbing. There is no kitchen because they didnt want a fire to break out. I would have loved more boring details, but it was clear he wasnt in the mood to share them with us.Stop #3: The Train Station. He said, We relocated it from Everest, KS after the city decided they were going to tear it down. We walked around inside while he stood by silently. No more information was given about its age or significance.Stop #4: The School House. We walked inside and were told, Grades 1 through 6 were taught here. If you were a female and could pass a teaching test, you became one at 15. Everyone else worked on the family farm after completing the 6th grade. I dont know if the school house is original to the area or if it is a replica. I dont know if the desks inside were original to the period or purchased randomly elsewhere and placed inside for looks. We know nothing else outside of what little he said.Stop #5: The church. There is a 6th stop but he said he wouldnt be taking us into the physicians office with our 7, 6 and 3 year old kids in tow. He unlocked the church, let us in and said, We hold small weddings here. That was it. No information on the church or its age was given. I can only assume it was specifically built there to host wedding and has no significance to it otherwise.After the church he said, Ok. Go into the store for your free drink. Maybe youll like it, maybe you wont. And walked off.After he left, the older woman from the gift shop came over to us with a huge smile across her face and said, Wasnt that the neatest tour?! Now to you see how the Oregan Trail played apart in everything. We smiled and said the tour was nice because we didnt want to be rude, but no, the tour was awful. We felt cheated and learned absolutely nothing. We left 5 stars on the comment card after the tour just so our kids could have the free drink which was a green concoction (it tasted like a really sweet Sprite) pharmacist used to make for children if they drank their meds back in the day. It was essentially their reward. That was probably the most information we were given that day.The grounds are pretty and free, but based on our lackluster experience, I would not recommend paying for the tour unless you really, really, really want to see inside the buildings.

Cool gardens to walk thru and old buildings to view.. Even cooler are their old fashioned soda shop and gift stores (with reasonable prices).

Lovely flowers and whimsical light features.

Was very cute

Married in this park. Oh my love it!

Great look back at history