Organized in 1855. County seat Atchison. Named for David H. Atchison, a U.S. Senator from Missouri, and President of the United States Senate at the date of the passage of the Act for the organization of the Territory of Kansas. He was a Pro-Slavery Democrat, and zealous partisan leader in the discussions and movements affecting the interests of slavery and its attempted establishment in the new state to be created.   Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Atchison County

                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Arrington                                            950
    Atchison                10,232  66002       1854     950
    Cummings                        66016                992
    Dalbey                                               782
    Effingham                  588  66023               1138
    Farmington                                          1027
    Good Intent                                         1037
    Hawthorne                                           1000
    Huron                       87  66041               1160
    Kennekuk                                            1105
    Lancaster                  291  66041               1150
    Larkinburg                                           969
    Monrovia                                            1037
    Muscotah                   200  66058                964
    Oak Mills                                            850
    Parnell                                             1034
    Port Williams                                        788
    Potter                          66077                950
    Saint Pats                                          1070
    Shannon                                             1100

Attractions

• Amelia Earhart's childhood home sits on a beautiful site overlooking the Missouri River in Atchison.
• The Mt. St. Scholastica School (for girls) is an imposing place also overlooking the Missouri.
• Atchison may have the nicest post office in the country. It's in a nineteenth-century stone palace downtown.
• Atchison's old Santa Fe station is now a tourist information center and museum. There's a large collection of rolling stock on display

Special Events

• Atchison holds Oktoberfest early in October at the downtown Mall.
• The Amelia Earhart Festival is held in Atchison in July.

Libraries

• Atchison Public Library   (913) 367-1902
  401 Kansas Street / Atchison, KS 66002
• Effingham Community Library  
  424 Main Street / Effingham, KS 66023

Museums

• Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum   (913) 367-4217
  223 N. Terrace St. / Atchison, KS 66002
  Open daily 1-4 p.m. Other times by appointment.
  Birthplace and childhood home of the world-famous aviatrix.
   
  
• Atchison County Historical Society Museum   (913) 367-6238
  200 S. 10th St., Santa Fe Depot / P. O. Box 201 / Atchison, KS 66002
  M-Sat 9-5 Sun 11-5 - May 1-Oct. 31 & M-Sat 9-5 Sun 11-4 - Nov. 1-April 30
  Museum in National Register listed 1880 Santa Fe Depot traces rich history of Atchison County with impressive collection of guns, exhibits on Lewis & Clark, railroad memorabilia and Amelia Earhart's personal effects.
   
  
• Atchison Rail Museum   (913) 367-2427
  200 S. 10th St. / Atchison, KS 66002
  Outdoor collection of railroad cars and locomotive. Viewable year-round, cars open weekends during the summer. Also features miniature train rides weekends May - October.
   
  
• Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum   (913) 367-1948
  805 North Fifth St / Atchison, KS 66002
  Three-story Victorian mansion with distinctive castle tower completely furnished in elegant style of the Victorian era. Carriage house has unique display of photographs telling story of Amelia Earhart's life.
   
  
• Muchnic Art Gallery   (913) 367-4278
  704 N. 4th St. / Atchison, KS 66002
  Open Saturday & Sunday, 1-5 p.m., April - November.
  Queen Anne-style mansion with period furnishings on the first floor and monthly displays of art by regional artists on the second floor.

Schools

• USD 377 Atchison County Community Schools   (913) 833-5050
  506 6th Street
  P.O. Box 289
  Effingham, KS 66023-0289
• USD 409 Atchison Public Schools   (913) 367-4384
  215 North 8th Street
  Atchison, KS 66002

Colleges

• Benedictine College (913)367-5340
  1020 North Second Street
  Atchison,KS 66002
• Northeast Kansas Technical College (913) 367-6204
  1501 W. Riley
  Atchison, KS 66002

Hospitals

• Atchison Hospital   (913-367-2131
  1301 N. 2nd St. / Atchison, KS 66002

Newspapers

• Atchison Daily Globe  
  1015-25 Main Street / Atchison, KS 66002

More Data About Atchison County

Genealogy

• Atchison County KSGenWeb

Atchison County Offices

• Atchison County   (913) 367-1653
  5th & Parallel / Atchison, KS 66002
• Extension Service   (913) 833-5450
  405 Main, P.O. Box 109 / Effingham, KS 66023-0109