Plumber in Pauline

Pauline at a glance

Pauline is an unincorporated community in Shawnee County just south of Topeka, next to Forbes Field on southwest Topeka Boulevard. It's sometimes counted as part of Topeka's south side industrial area.

What that means for your plumbing

Pauline has about 30 houses and around 20 mobile homes in its mobile home park. Mobile and manufactured homes often have supply lines exposed underneath, where wind gets in and freezes them. Tight skirting and heat tape help; see frozen pipe repair.

A long history

The first post office in Pauline opened in 1872, and the community grew up as a stop on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Its location next to Forbes Field and Topeka Boulevard means a mix of homes, businesses and travelers' stops within a small area. Older buildings along the boulevard often share the same aging water and sewer lines, so a problem at one can be a sign of trouble at the next.

Businesses and travelers

Pauline's 1910 depot was moved to Old Prairie Town at the Ward-Meade Historic Site in Topeka in 1983. Today the community has restaurants, gas stations, an auction house, a laundromat, a grocery store, a motel and a campground with hook-ups. Commercial kitchens and laundromats push a lot of water and grease through their drains, and grease traps need regular cleaning to avoid backups. For homes and businesses alike, see drain cleaning.