Charles Curtis was born in 1860. Young Charlie divided his life between two worlds:that of his Kanza grandmother on the Kaw Reserve near Council Grove and that of his father on the dusty streets of North Topeka and the fledgling Kansas capital. He attended, but did not graduate from, Topeka High School. As a good student he gained the admiration and appreciation of his teachers. He then read law under local attorney Hib Case. His legal career led to his political career as county attorney for Shawnee County (1884-1888) and state congressman from the 4th (later 1st) District (1893-1907). In 1907 he was elected by the Kansas Legislature to the US Senate. Curtis is the only Kansan to serve in the Senate from both the Lane line of succession (1907-13) and the Pomeroy (1915-29). By the end of his Senate career, he was also Majority Leader.

Kansans supported their native son for President in 1924 and 1928, but Curtis settled for second place as vice presidental running mate to Herbert Hoover on the 1928 Republican ticket.

As Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, Curtis achieved the highest national position for a native Kansan and for a descendant of the Kanza people. Though his duties were few, notable events of his term included addressing the Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood over radio and formally opening the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932. Upon defeat in the 1932 election Curtis retired, remaining in Washington D.C. where he died four years later.

The Curtis home in Topeka still stands at 1101 South Topeka Blvd.

Many prominent Topekans and Kansans
are buried in the Topeka Cemetery.
Some of the graves date to the early
settlement of this area by whites.
Topeka and Shawnee County will
celebrate their sesquicentennial,
150 years, in 2004.