Named after Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad founder Cyrus K. Holliday (1826-1900), the Holliday Park neighborhood centers on a 1 1/2 acre triangular park at 12th and Western Ave. An error in the first plat of the townsite led to its distinctive shape. Topeka founders, among them Fry Giles who later developed part of the district, laid out the streets using crude tools. Soon afterwards they discovered their mistake and corrected it with the newer streets and plats paralleling federal survey lines. Thus, where subdivisions and the original townsite meet: a street jog and, as well, left-over spaces like Holliday Park. Popular legend relates that gypsies once camped in this area; most
certainly early Topekans used the future park ground to graze their live-stock and/or dump building debris. Beginning in the late 1880s, however, houses started to fill up the prairie as Topeka commenced its first big expansion or "boom." Responding to such rapid growth, on April 20, 1895, nearby residents formed the Holliday Park Association to beautify the triangular plot which soon became the Kansas capital's fourth public park.

Holliday Park is a beautiful, downtown neighborhood with homes built in the 1880s to the 1930s.  Victorians, American Four-Squares and Bungalows nestle comfortably beneath large shade trees, bordered by brick sidewalks.  Click here to view some images of Historic Holliday Park yesterday and today.

Join neighbors in the Cyrus K. Holliday Park (located between Huntoon and 12th, Taylor and Western) for the Annual Historic Holliday Park Independence Day Celebration!  The fun starts with bar-b-qued hot dogs, chips and drinks, followed by homemade ice cream, all starting at 11am on July 4th.  Then, neighbors will participate in the Annual Holliday Park Games - the highlight being the "beloved balloon toss."  And, be sure to stop in and meet the next Gypsy King and Queen and help us honor the year's "Good Neighbors."  Food and fun for all! Follow this link to view some images of the Annual Historic Holliday Park Independence Day Celebration.