Atchison County Historical Museum

Atchison County Historical Society Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Atchison County, Kansas. Both the city of Atchison and Atchison County, Kansas are named after United States Senator and legendary "President for a day" David Rice Atchison.

The Atchison County Historical Society & Museum is located in the historic 1880 Santa Fe Freight Depot (200 S. 10th Street) in Atchison, Kansas. Dedicated to telling the story of Atchison County Kansas the museum features exhibits on Lewis and Clark, Amelia Earhart, Jesse Stone, the Railroad History of Atchison County, the David Rice Atchison World's Smallest "unofficial" Presidential Library and a Military collection with over 200 weapons spanning the Revolutionary War, Civil War and both World Wars.

The Atchison County Historical Society also operates the Independence Creek: Lewis & Clark Historic Site (located at 19917 314th Road in Atchison County) covering 13.5 acres of native grasses and wildflowers and a re-creation of a Kanza Indian Earthlodge, connected by a 5-mile hiking/biking trail to the Atchison riverfront.

The museum also hosts regular temporary and traveling exhibits including a Smithsonian Traveling exhibit from June 27-Aug 9, 2015 called "Hometown Teams."[1]

Background on the Atchison County Historical Society

Established in 1967, the first museum was opened in 1968. The Society moved into the current museum, the 1880 Santa Fe Depot, in 1989. The Museum hosts quarterly evening adult education programs and sponsors K-12 programming, including a monthly Pioneer Club for 4th-7th grade students.

The Atchison County Historical Society, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established in the State of Kansas.

Background on the World's Smallest Presidential Library

Atchison, a pro-slavery Democrat, was a Senator from Missouri who was consumed by the Kansas issue - if the new state of Kansas would be a free-state or allow the extension of slavery. He is sometimes seen as a key player in the Kansas-Nebraska Act and therefore partially credited with the birth of the state of Kansas. [2]

Some claim that Atchison technically was President of the United States for 24 hours—from noon Sunday, March 4, 1849 to noon Monday, March 5, 1849. Outgoing President James Polk's term expired at noon on that day, and his Vice-President George M. Dallas had already left office and left Washington D.C. to ensure the Senate would elect a President Pro Tem - David Rice Atchison. The President-elect, Zachary Taylor, refused to be sworn into office on the sabbath (Sunday). Taylor's Vice Presidential running mate, Millard Fillmore, likewise was not inaugurated. As President Pro Tempore of the Senate from the prior U.S. Congress, under the presidential succession law in place at the time, Atchison was third in line of Presidential succession.[2] For those 24 hours Senator David Rice Atchison was the highest ranking elected official in the U.S. The Atchison County Historical Society Museum's exhibit leaves the determination up to the visitor if that means Atchison was President or not.

Background on the Independence Creek: Lewis and Clark Historic Site

Open Sunrise to Sunset year round. Located 5 miles north of Atchison's Main Street this site may be reached by car or by hiking/biking trail. The 13.5 acre site has reestablished the prairie as seen by the Corps of Discovery and encompasses a stretch of Independence Creek referred to by Captain William Clark in his July 4, 1804 journal entry. A pedestrian bridge completes the 5-mile trail link to the Atchison Riverfront. A re-creation of a 1724-1804 era Kanza Indian Earthlodge interprets the Kanza habitation of this location.

Content

Because of David Rice Atchison's 24 hour brush with greatness and the accumulated materials in the exhibit about his political career this part of the museum is named "The David Rice Atchison World's Smallest 'unofficial' Presidential Library"[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Museum on Main Street, Smithsonian Institution: Hometown Teams". www.museumonmainstreet.org. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
  2. 1 2 3 Kansas Profile - Now That's Rural for the Kansas State University website by Ron Wilson on February 8, 2006. Retrieved April 10, 2006.

External links

Coordinates: 39°33′36″N 95°07′36″W / 39.56000°N 95.12667°W / 39.56000; -95.12667


  1. ↑ Hail to the Chiefs - Kansas City Public Library Presidential Speaker Series, 2015-04-17, retrieved 2015-06-01
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