Aerial views of Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas
Creator: Kansas Department of Transporation
Date: November 30, 1956
A series of aerial photographs showing construction of I-70 Interstate west of Gage Boulevard. Also, the areas east of Gage Boulevard to MacVicar Avenue, where I-70 was eventually built. Recognizable sites include: West Hills residential area; Kansas River; Topeka Water Department treatment plant; sand and concrete company; and Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

Aerial views of Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas
Creator: Kansas Department of Transporation
Date: February 27, 1957
A series of aerial photographs showing areas adjacent to the Kansas River, prior to the construction of I-70 Interstate, and east of downtown Topeka. Recognizable sites include: the Kansas River; Topeka Water Department treatment plant; Union Pacific Railroad tracks and bridge; Topeka State Hospital grounds; Ward-Mead home; Topeka Avenue bridge; Kansas Avenue bridge; business buildings north of Fourth Street; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway shops, tracks and bridge; and Auburndale, Potwin, East Topeka and Oakland residential areas.

Arma mining camp, Crawford County, Kansas
Date: 1905-1943
Photographs and postcards of the mining camp, businesses, community interests, residents, and buildings in Arma, Kansas. The city of Arma was incorporated in 1909 and is located in Crawford County about nine miles north of Pittsburg. Previously the area was known as Rust, a small coal camp laid out in 1886. The town was inhabited by miners from many of the surrounding mines. Arma continues today and is home to a few businesses, a grade school and a high school.

City water and power works, Sedan, Kansas
Date: Between 1880 and 1900
This is a view of the city water and power works in Sedan, Kansas.

City water filtration plant, Topeka, Kansas
Creator: Wolfe Commercial Photo Service
Date: Between 1920s and 1930s
This black and white photograph shows the city water filtration plant in Topeka, Kansas. The city of Topeka was founded in 1857 along the banks of the Kansas River in present day Shawnee County.

City water works tower at Minneapolis, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1915
A postcard showing the city water works tower in Minneapolis, Kansas.

Ditch digging for pipe to be laid, Cimarron, Kansas
Date: Between 1930 and 1935
This photograph shows workers using a ditch digging machine to lay a sewer or water line in Cimarron, Kansas.

Fire engine, Iola, Kansas
Date: 1925
This black and white photograph shows a fire engine parked on the streets of Iola, Kansas. In the background, water is being sprayed into the air as a group of men test the water pressure from a nearby fire hydrant.

Fire engine, Marysville, Kansas
Creator: Hawkins, Omar F. (Omar Finlay), 1890-1967
Date: August 18, 1930
This black and white photograph shows a group of men and children gathered around a fire engine in Marysville, Kansas. In the background, a fire hydrant is spraying water into the air.

Fire engine, Marysville, Kansas
Creator: Hawkins, Omar F. (Omar Finlay), 1890-1967
Date: August 18, 1930
This black and white photograph shows a group of people gathered around a fire engine in Marysville, Kansas. In the background, several fire hoses are visible spraying water into the air.

Flood in Lawrence, Kansas
Date: 1915
A photograph showing flood water that had twice submerged the waterworks in Lawrence, Kansas. The photograph accompanied a letter from George West Maffet, Lawrence, Kansas, to Governor Arthur Capper. The letter relates his concerns about the pollution of the Lawrence water supply. The photograph was removed from Governor Arthur Capper's records, Box 8, General Correspondence, Numerical File 184.

Land buyers visit Satanta, Haskell County, Kansas
Creator: Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936
Date: Between 1891 and 1912
This is a view of James Septer Patrick's business building (Jas. S. Patrick Agent for Satanta Lots And Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Lands) in Satanta, Kansas. There is a modified Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe logo on the front of Patrick's building. Some railroads received lands from the federal government. They sold the lands to help raise funds to build the railroad. Also visible in the photograph are the Deal building and a water tower, both under construction, and people seated in four automobiles. The first two cars contain land buyers from Wichita, Kansas (only John Jacob Miller, seated next to the driver in the first car, is identified ), the third car contains Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Johnson from Sublette, Kansas, and James Septer Patrick is alone in the fourth car. Note the steering wheels are on the right side of the cars.

Larned Standpipe
Date: Between 1910 and 1920
These are two photographs of the standpipe located in Larned, Kansas. There are two cars parked next to the standpipe and several gentlemen in each car. Some are identified as W. C. Peters, Dave Ely, Ed Frizell, Tom Moffet and Harvey Eckert. Two unidentified men are painting the standpipe.

Laying water mains in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas
Creator: Capwell, George E.
Date: Between 1910 and 1920
This is a postcard showing workers using a steam powered trencher to lay a wooden water main on East Pearl Street in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. The location was a half block east of the Chase County Courthouse. The building in the background is George E. Capwell's photography studio. The postcard was addressed to Mr. Laurence Larkin in Pilchuck, Washington.

Main Street, Scott City, Kansas
Date: Between 1940 and 1949
This photograph shows a view of businesses on Main Street in Scott City, Kansas. The second building from the right has a Rexall Drugs sign, and another building farther in the background on the right side of the street has a sign reading, "Drugs," beneath a Coca-Cola sign. (The drug store sign is visible just above the distinctive Western Auto sign, the curved arrow shaped like a backwards 9). Many other businesses are visible along both sides of the street. Many automobiles and a pickup truck are visible parked or driving along the street. Two people and a dog are visible crossing the street. A water tower is visible on the left side of the picture.

Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas
Creator: Lawrence Studio
Date: 1936
This black and white photograph shows a group of WPA workers repairing the street in the 700 block of Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, Kansas. The Works Progress Administration, later renamed the Works Projects Administration, was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression to generate jobs and income for the unemployed. This relief program provided employment through a number of community works project that ranged from the construction of public buildings, to the building of highways, roads, and streets.

Municipal waterworks, Salina, Kansas
Creator: Kansas Industrial Development Commission
Date: Between 1950 and 1959
This photograph shows the Municipal Waterworks building in Salina, Kansas.

Pawnee Power and Water Company crew, Larned, Kansas
Creator: Wesely, F.A.
Date: Between 1920 and 1929
This black and white photograph shows a group of workers from the Pawnee Power and Water Company in Larned, Kansas, standing beside their company truck.

Raising a windmill, Ottawa, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1940
Seven sequenced views of the construction and raising of a windmill in Ottawa. Pictures donated by John M. Lambertson.

School in Phillipsburg, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1905
This photograph shows a school building in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Visible in the photograph are Bakers Carpenter Shop, a water tank, and a house.

Standpipe in Stockton, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1909
This is a postcard showing the waterwork's standpipe, which was erected in 1887, in Stockton, Kansas.

Street scene, Lucas, Kansas
Date: 1900
A photograph showing main street looking north in Lucas, Russell County, Kansas. Visible on the street is the town windmill and water supply. The United Brethren church is on the hill, and the Masonic Hall is the two story stone building on main street.

The Capital City Topeka Picturesque and Descriptive
Creator: Art Publishing Company
Date: 1888-1889
This is a book containing photographs of buildings, bridges, Kansas capitol under construction, parks, houses, College of the Sisters of Bethany, street scenes, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe shops, Union Pacific depot, industries, banks, greenhouses, newspaper offices, hotels, opera houses, churches, water works, machine shops and foundries, library, county jail, lumber yard, elevators, Rock Island depot, Washburn College, cotton factory, and bird's-eye views of Topeka. Also, included in the book are histories and information about Topeka's founding, Washburn University, College of the Sisters of Bethany, newspapers, public libraries, churches, and board of trade.

Topeka is a people place
Creator: Topeka Chamber of Commerce
Date: 1970s
Produced by the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce and Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, this film promotes Topeka, Kansas, as a commercial and culture center of the Midwest. It features many local businesses, manufacturers, and public and private institutions including the Gage Park train and the Topeka Zoo; Washburn University and the Washburn art fair; Forbes Air Force Base; Karl Menninger and the Menninger Psychiatric Clinic; the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad shops; Shawnee Lake; the Topeka Symphony; and various industries such as Dupont, Hallmark and Goodyear.

Urbin I. Rudell photograph collection
Creator: Rudell, Urbin I., 1878-1966
Date: Between 1907 and 1912
Photographer Urbin I. Rudell, 1878-1966, was born in the Lenape community of Leavenworth County, Kansas. His family later moved to Loring, Wyandotte County, where he attended school. Rudell became interested in taking photographs at age 15 and taught himself the art of photography with a German-made camera he acquired. Rudell married Alice Mae Barry in 1903 and the couple moved to Bonner Springs in 1907. About this time, the city leaders were promoting Bonner Springs as a health resort. Rudell was hired to take photographs of Bonner Springs businesses, homes, and other points of interest, which were published in the booklet "Kansas Karlsbad." During the Depression, Rudell was hired to carry mail and parcel post between the post office and the Union Pacific depot, and he held that job for the next twenty years. He continued to operate his photography business and worked out of his home taking photographs when requested and whenever a major event occurred in town.