Topeka High School Historical Society reveals restoration project

TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Topeka High School Historical Society rededicated the main foyer in the Topeka High School on Monday morning.

“This project took approximately 10 weeks and cost $140,000,” said Michelle Neis, THS Historical Society President. “We started in October 2022 and completed in early January 2023. There were 4 to 6 layers of industrial paint that were removed from the original stone walls.”

The restoration project took 10 weeks to complete and involved stripping four coats of paint from the original walls and applying a clear sealer for easy cleaning in the future. The plaster ceiling, crown molding and archway were repainted as well.

“It was fun to watch the process happen,” said Rebecca Morrisey – Principal, Topeka High. “I appreciate the historical society and the people that had the vision to make it stand out even more. It is a beautiful foyer and it always has been.”

The restoration cost $140,000 and was made possible by a gift from THS graduate Doris Derrington, Class of 1951. Derrington was an active alum who died in 2021 at the age of 87.

The THS Historical Society has been the driving force in maintaining the vision of this National Register property’s original designers. The school was built at a cost of over $1.1 million and opened in 1931. The Gothic building on Southwest 10th Ave. has seen thousands of students, faculty and families walk through its doors over the last 92 years.

J.F. McGivern Inc. was the contractor on the project.