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Atchison, Kansas

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City of Atchison
City
Commercial Street in downtown Atchison
Commercial Street in downtown Atchison
Location of Atchison in Kansas.
Location of Atchison in Kansas.
Country United States
State Kansas
CountyAtchison
Founded1854
IncorporatedAugust 30, 1855
Government
 • MayorAndrew Werring
Area
 • Total18.7 km2 (7.2 sq mi)
 • Land17.7 km2 (6.8 sq mi)
 • Water1.0 km2 (0.4 sq mi)  5.27%
Elevation
248 m (814 ft)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total11,021
 • Density590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
66002
Area code913
FIPS code20-02900Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0473516Template:GR
WebsiteCityOfAtchison.com

Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021.[1] It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County. The city is named in honor of David Rice Atchison, United States senator from Missouri, and was the original eastern terminus of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad.[citation needed]

Atchison was the birthplace of aviatrix Amelia Earhart and the Amelia Earhart Festival is held annually in July. Atchison is also home of Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal-arts college. Atchison is often called one of the most haunted places in America, due to the city's ghost-story heritage.[2]

History

The first newspaper was the Squatter Sovereign founded in Feb., 1855 as a weekly; a German edition was also published

Founding

Atchison was founded in 1854 and named in honor of Senator David Rice Atchison, who, when Kansas was opened for settlement, interested some of his friends in the scheme of forming a city in the new territory.[3] Senator Atchison was interested in ensuring that the population of the new Kansas Territory would be majority pro-slavery, as he had been a prominent promoter of both slavery and the idea of popular sovereignty over the issue in the new lands. However, it seems that all were not agreed upon the location he had selected, and on July 20, 1854, Dr. John H. Stringfellow, Ira Norris, Leonidas Oldham, James B. Martin and Neal Owens left Platte City, Missouri, to decide definitely upon a site. They found a site that was the natural outlet of a remarkably rich agricultural region just open to settlement. George M. Million and Samuel Dickson had staked claims near the river; Dr. Stringfellow staked a tract north of Million's. Million sold his claim for $1,000—an exorbitant price. Eighteen persons were present when the town company was formally organized by electing Peter T. Abell, president; James Burns, treasurer; and Dr. Stringfellow, secretary. The site was divided into 100 shares by the company, of which each member retained five shares, the remainder being reserved for common benefit of all. By September 20, 1854, Henry Kuhn had surveyed the 480 acres (1.9 km²) and made a plat, and the next day was fixed for the sale of lots, an event of great importance as it had become understood that Senator Atchison would make a speech upon the political question of the day, hence the sale would be of political as well as business significance. At his meeting on the 21st, two public institutions of vital interest to a new community were planned for—a hotel and a newspaper. Each share of stock in the town company was assessed $25, the proceeds to be used to build the National Hotel, which was completed in the spring of 1855, and $400 was donated to Dr. Stringfellow and Robert S. Kelley to erect a printing office.[citation needed]

The Squatter Sovereign, a paper with strong pro-slavery sentiments, was first issued on February 3, 1855. It had formerly been published at Liberty, Missouri, under the name of the Democratic Platform. In the spring of 1857 it was purchased by Samuel C. Pomeroy, Robert McBratney and F.G. Adams, who changed its policy and published it as a free-state paper until the fall of the same year, when Pomeroy became the sole owner.[4]

The first post office in Atchison was established April 10, 1855, with Kelley as postmaster. It was opened in a small building in the block later occupied by the Otis house. In July 1883, the free-delivery system was inaugurated.[citation needed]

For years there had been considerable trade up and down the Missouri River, which had naturally centered at Leavenworth, but in June 1855, several overland freighters were induced to select Atchison as their outfitting point. The most important firms were Livingston, Kinkead & Co. and Hooper & Williams. The outfitting business done in Atchison was one of the greatest factors in establishing her commercial career. Some of the first merchants to open stores in the new town were George Challis, Burns Bros., Stephen Johnston and Samuel Dickson.[citation needed]

On August 30, 1855, Atchison was incorporated. Dr. Stringfellow had North Atchison surveyed and platted in the fall of 1857. This started a fever of additions. In February 1858, West Atchison was laid out by John Roberts, and in May Samuel Dickson had his property surveyed as South Atchison. Still another addition was made by John Challis.[citation needed]

In 1858 the anti-slavery forces took control of the city. On February 12, 1858, the legislature issued a charter to the city of Atchison, which was approved by the people on March 2 at a special election. The first city officers were elected at a second special election on March 13, 1858, and Republican Samuel C. Pomeroy was elected mayor. The German element, largely Catholic, opposed the Sunday closing laws of the new city government, but a satisfactory compromise was reached that allowed the sale of beer on Sundays after church services.[5]

Commercial Street in 1860

Early development

The first schools in the town were private, including parochial schools operated by the Germans. One of the first English schools was opened in 1857 by Lizzie Bay. The first school district was established in October 1858, and a month later the Atchison free high school was opened at the corner of Atchison and Commercial streets.[citation needed]

Two views of a pedestrian mall on Commercial Street in downtown Atchison

Civil War

At the outbreak of the American Civil War there were three militia companies organized in Atchison, whose members enlisted in the Kansas regiments. They were known as Companies A, C and “At All Hazards”. Early in September 1861, a home guard was organized in the town to protect it in case of invasion from Missouri, and on the 15th of the month another company was raised, which was subsequently mustered into a state regiment. In 1863 the city of Atchison raised $4,000 to assist the soldiers from the county and after the Lawrence Massacre a like sum was subscribed to assist the stricken people of that city. Citizens of the town also joined the vigilance committees that so materially aided the civil authorities in suppressing raiding and the lawless bands of thieves that infested the border counties.[citation needed]

Postwar

Soon after the war, when industrial life became normal, entrepreneurs set up small factories. Elevators and mills were erected in the late 1860s and early 1870s; a flax mill was built; the Atchison Foundry and Machine Works, one of the most important commercial enterprises, was started; also many wood working factories, and carriage and wagon works. The city gained a reputation for its fine flour mills, car-repair shops, foundries, wooden ware, and furniture factories.[citation needed]

Atchison was one of the first cities in Kansas to be connected by telegraph with the east. In 1859 the St. Louis & Missouri Valley Telegraph company extended its line from Leavenworth to Atchison. A railroad reached the town in 1854, connecting it with St. Joseph, Missouri. Atchison was originally selected the northeastern hub of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad but construction of the railroad began in Topeka in 1868. The citizens of the town were outraged by this, and the construction of the railroad was temporarily halted two years later so the line could be built northeast to Atchison, which was completed in 1871. By 1911, the following railroads all ran into the city: Burlington & Missouri River; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Hannibal & St. Joseph; Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs; and the Missouri Pacific.[citation needed]

The city tried but failed to become a major railroad center, and was surpassed by Kansas City, Leavenworth, and other cities as a railroad center. Atchison's boosters try to open eastern connections through St. Louis rather than through the more important Chicago. Instead of concentrating on building economic links in one direction, boosters scattered their efforts to the southwest, west and northwest, and none proved successful. Bickering delayed the building of bridges, stockyards, elevators, warehouses and railroad yards, revealing the disharmony that plagued Atchison's entrepreneurs.[6]

Geography

Atchison is located at 39°33′45″N 95°7′42″W / 39.56250°N 95.12833°W / 39.56250; -95.12833 (39.562499, -95.128257).Template:GR The city is situated along the western bank of the Missouri River which also marks the Kansas-Missouri state line. Located at the junction of U.S. Route 59 and U.S. Route 73, it is 21 miles (34 km) southwest of St. Joseph, Missouri along US-59 and 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Leavenworth, Kansas along US-73. The section of US-73 between Atchison and Leavenworth is part of the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway which follows K-7 northward from Atchison.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.6 km2), of which 6.8 square miles (17.6 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), or 5.27%, is water.Template:GR

Climate

Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of nearly 15 °F (−9 °C) in January to an average high of nearly 90 °F (32 °C) in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 38 days per year and reaches 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 3 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point (32 °F) an average of 106 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between the second week of October and the first week of November, and the last spring freeze occurs between the end of March and the third week of April.

The area receives nearly 38 inches (970 mm) of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May, June, and July—with a combined 29 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 25 to 52 inches (1,300 mm). There are on average 96 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 23 inches, but the median is less than 16 inches (410 mm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 13 days per year with at least an inch of snow being received on eight of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 27 days per year.

Source: Monthly Station Climate Summaries, 1971–2000, U.S. National Climatic Data Center
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Temperatures (°F)
Mean high 35.5 42.4 54.2 65.6 75.5 84.5 89.4 87.6 79.9 68.4 52.0 39.4 64.5
Mean low 15.9 21.2 31.2 42.2 54.1 63.1 68.0 64.7 56.1 45.3 31.6 20.9 42.9
Highest recorded 72
(1989) 		80
(1972) 		89
(1946) 		92
(1989) 		96
(1956) 		105
(1980) 		109
(1980) 		109
(1984) 		108
(1947) 		98
(1939) 		84
(1980) 		74
(1939) 		109
(1984)
Lowest recorded −19
(1947) 		−16
(1979) 		−10
(1978) 		11
(1975) 		28
(1944) 		42
(1945) 		47
(1968) 		44
(1950) 		30
(1942) 		19
(1942) 		−2
(1976) 		−21
(1989) 		−21
(1989)
Precipitation (inches)
Median 1.09 0.97 1.91 2.98 4.27 3.87 3.81 3.33 3.28 2.96 2.31 1.18 36.08
Mean number of days 6.1 5.9 8.4 9.6 10.7 9.8 8.4 8.4 8.0 7.1 7.1 6.0 95.5
Highest monthly 2.73
(1993) 		2.96
(1997) 		8.34
(1973) 		7.07
(1999) 		12.68
(1982) 		10.85
(1996) 		16.51
(1992) 		10.59
(1977) 		12.56
(1977) 		7.44
(1977) 		5.88
(1975) 		3.75
(1980)
Snowfall (inches)
Median 6.2 5.3 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 3.0 15.7
Mean number of days 4.0 3.0 1.6 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 2.9 12.7
Highest monthly 29.4
(1979) 		20.0
(1978) 		16.2
(1976) 		7.0
(1975) 		0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0
(1996) 		9.1
(1975) 		17.5
(1983)
Notes: Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow or sleet in inches; median values are provided for precipitation and snowfall because mean averages may be misleading. Mean and median values are for the 30-year period 1971–2000; temperature extremes are for the station's period of record (1939–2001). The station is located in Atchison at 39°34′N 95°7′W, elevation 945 feet (288 m).

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,616—
18707,054169.6%
188015,105114.1%
189013,963−7.6%
190015,72212.6%
191016,4294.5%
192012,630−23.1%
193013,0243.1%
194012,648−2.9%
195012,7921.1%
196012,529−2.1%
197012,5650.3%
198011,407−9.2%
199010,656−6.6%
200010,232−4.0%
201011,0217.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,Template:GR there were 10,232 people, 3,863 households, and 2,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,498.2 people per square mile (578.4/km²). There were 4,220 housing units at an average density of 617.9 per square mile (238.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.56% White, 7.80% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.

There were 3,863 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,109, and the median income for a family was $37,100. Males had a median income of $31,027 versus $20,262 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,441. About 9.5% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Atchison Public Schools school district (USD 409), with three schools, serves more than 1,600 students.[8]

  • Atchison Elementary School, grades K–5
  • Atchison Middle School, grades 6–8
  • Atchison High School, grades 9–12 [1]
  • Atchison Alternative School, grades 6-12

The Bert Nash Intermediate School is a public school separate from the district which serves less than 100 students in grades 7–12. Bert Nash School is no longer open as of December 2009.[9] Other private schools in the city include:*

Colleges and universities

Notable people

An Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway route map from 1891 issue of Grain Dealers and Shippers Gazetteer.

Points of interest

References

  1. ^ a b "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  2. ^ [Haunted Kansas; Lisa Hefner Heitz; University Press of Kansas; 1997]
  3. ^ Frank W. Blackmar, ed. (1912). "Atchison". Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc ... Vol. I. Chicago: Standard Pub Co. pp. 108–111. The primary source for this history.
  4. ^ Frank W. Blackmar, ed. (1912). "Newspapers". Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc ... Vol. II. Chicago: Standard Pub Co. pp. 358–367.
  5. ^ Turk, 1979, p 154
  6. ^ George L. Anderson, "Atchison, 1865-1886, Divided and Uncertain," Kansas Historical Quarterly, 1969, Vol. 35 Issue 1, pp 30-45
  7. ^ "Glacial Hills Scenic Byway". Kansas Scenic Byways. Archived from the original on 2006-06-16. Retrieved 2006-07-15.
  8. ^ "Atchison Public Schools schools". GreatSchools.net. Retrieved 2006-07-15.
  9. ^ "Bert Nash Intermediate schools". GreatSchools.net. Retrieved 2006-07-15.
  10. ^ "KANSAS LEGENDS Haunted Atchison Most Ghostly Town in Kansas". legendsofamerica.com. Retrieved 2007-11-25.

Further reading

Atchison
  • Turk, Eleanor L. "The Germans of Atchison, 1854-1859: Development of an Ethnic Community." Kansas History 2 (Autumn 1979): 146–156. online
Kansas
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