Topeka, Kansas Bed and Breakfast Lodging -- The Woodward

~The Woodward~

~Woodward Max~

~Woodward Executive~

~Woodward Flats~

~Garden Guesthouse~

~Guesthouse Two~

~Woodward Annex~

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After fourteen years of renovation to The Woodward, six more historic homes in the same block have been renovated and added, giving additional party and lodging accommodations to visiting guests.

The Woodward reigns as the cornerstone. A gothic tudor mansion built in 1923, The Woodward is the Midwest's premier luxury wedding and reception location, private elegant dinner venue and pampered get-away lodging destination.

	The fifth Woodward Inn on Fillmore began extensive renovations in December, 2006. The Woodward Max was ready for guests in the Fall of 2007. Located across the street from The Woodward and next door to The Woodward Executive, The Woodward Max will be designed on the exterior to match The Executive. Inside, however, will be designed in accordance with the creativity of the artist Peter Max, most known for his work with the Beatles on Yellow Submarine. His mature elegant hippie art (my words) now encompass gorgeous dark blues, reds and yellows in themes of floral and portraits. So, you can expect to see grown-up paisleys, polka-dots, florals and stripes for an elegant, easy, contemporary feel. The Woodward Max will feature three stories with maximum sleeping for about 12 guests. Peter Max has been invited for a Grand Opening of The Woodward Max during the Fall 2007.
	The Woodward Executive is an impressive and stately home boasting two fabulous get-away suites with private large baths and party space for the smaller crowd.
	The Woodward Flats on Western sits just behind The Woodward and is The Woodward Inns only true painted Lady. A very large three-story Queen Anne, The Woodward Flats offers two business-class B&B apartments for nightly B&B use, weekly, monthly and multi-month business travel or transitional lodging.
	The Woodward Garden Guesthouse and The Woodward Garden Guesthouse Two were first built as "sister houses" in the 1930's. They are simple Victorian style. The Woodward Garden Guesthouse is designed as a family style guesthouse.

	The Woodward Garden Guesthouse Two has been renovated in the past as a duplex and is now renovated as an apartment-style Bed and Breakfast. Both Guesthouses are family friendly and can accommodate very small gatherings or retreats.
	The Woodward Annex on Huntoon corners Fillmore at Huntoon Street and is the first you see on your approach to The Woodward Inns on Fillmore. While it will be the most simple of the six, it will be most loved as a family-style lodging house.

ou'll certainly enjoy your stay at The Woodward -- a castle-like large chateau built in the early 1920s in replica of historic English buildings. The open 2 1/2 story library in this home is designed after the King Henry VIII Library at Hampton Hall in London. with imported timbers and stones from England. The Woodward is used often for wedding chapel services (holding up to 160 inside), wedding receptions (for up to 250 inside, 500 inside/outside), dinners (fully served for up to 66 in one room) as well as lodging, business conferences, and retreats. See the Special Offerings link above. The home is smoke-free although there are nice gardens and porches for our smoking guests. In the morning you will enjoy a full homemade breakfast. (Chocolate for breakfast is our specialty!) Other specialties that you will want to inquire about are: Murder Mystery Dinners, brunches, and The Woodward Tea Club. Make The Woodward your home away from home!

Most photographs courtesy of Colleen Logan Photography. Some photographs courtesy of The Woodward.

A Brief History of “Topeka’s Most Artistic Home”, The Woodward

The Woodward was built in 1923 for Chester Woodward and his wife Frederica. After traveling the world, Chester Woodward wanted his last grand estate to be as authentically English as he could make it. He imported the timbers and the large stones from England and designed his large Library after the Sir Walter Scott Library in Abbotsford, Scotland. The main feature of the home, according to Mr. Woodward, is the open two and one-half story Library which housed his 6,000-book collection. A safe in the back corner of the Library was used for his rarest books and prized collection pieces such as a first edition copy of A Midsommer Night’s Dream printed in 1623, a leaf from a Gutenberg Bible, the first book ever printed from moveable type. Also special to Mr. Woodward was an ink well used by Charles Dickens.

The Library was built to be 26’x52’ and would host a walk-along gallery on two sides of the second story whereby the family could display and view their fine art. The slanted ceilings of the Library are approximately 20’high and were covered in a new materials called “Celetex” similar to the modern material sheetrock. Hand-hewn timbers support the upper levels of the Library and are also used for decoration on the inside and outside of the home. The Library is adorned with mythical symbols similar to the zodiac around the perimeter and in the stonage of the large fireplace. Many other features of the Library include family crests, the historic paintings depicting the Tudor age of King Henry VIII.

To Mr. Woodward, the rest of the house belonged to Frederica. She had a sitting room on the second floor just at the top of the bi-directional stairway. In her day, she could overlook what was then Central Park from her sitting room. She dedicated the hand carved tile fireplace to the families who developed The Chisholm Trail as it is designed with covered wagons in subtle shades of teal and cream.

Mrs. Woodward also loved to entertain and did so even during the thirty years after the death of Mr. Woodward in 1941. At the age of 90, Mrs. Woodward died in the family home on August 6, 1971.

Upon settling of the family estate, the Woodward home was sold to the family dentist who never lived in the home. It then was sold to the Menninger Clinic which used it for patient care for about 19 years. In about 1991, the home was sold to Midland Hospice who used it for patient care and administration. In 1994, I bought the home at a time when it was in considerable need of exterior and interior renovation. After eight years of diligent attention, today – the year 2002 – the house is once again in its premier state of elegance with the exterior structure repaired to withstand another 80 years and with its interior inviting and warm to those who share their nights and celebrations in the home of Chester Woodward, now my home and home to all those who share its blessing.