The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 November 1983 and her keel was laid down on 13 May 1986.

[3] During New Year's Eve 2000, Topeka straddled the International Date Line, thus was famously "in two millenniums at once".

Earlier that same year, she completed a six-month-long deployment in the Western Pacific, covering around 35,000 nautical miles.

[6] In December 2020, Topeka shifted homeport to Naval Station Pearl Harbor.

[8] COMSUBRON 11 Battle "E" - 1993/1995 In August 2004, Topeka returned to San Diego after six months of operations with the Seventh Fleet, including three missions significant to national security that earned the boat the Navy Expeditionary Medal and Navy Unit Commendation Medal.