BlockFrom the record
51 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Atchison County, Kansas
79 topographic sheets cover 20 settlements here, and 51 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 454 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 51 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 47 buildings, 3 districts and 1 structure.
- 12 of the 51 listings were added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 20 populated places in this county; 20 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
51Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
Wildfire, 2005 to 2020
57 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 57 of them, burning about 616 acres. 1 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 19 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 15 |
| Smoking | 7 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 6 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 5 |
| Other causes | 3 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Natural | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 160 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015016 |
| 5 March 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | 40 acres | Kansas Forest Service | not named |
| 26 February 2018 | Smoking | 40 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2018021 |
| 17 February 2018 | Debris and open burning | 35 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2018018 |
| 26 February 2017 | Smoking | 30 acres | Jefferson County | 2017035 |
| 7 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 30 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2018047 |
| 7 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 25 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015015 |
| 6 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 20 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 2015013 |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1951 to 2025
60 of 270 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 270 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 10 injuries and about $27,147,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 131 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 81 |
| Tornado | 22 |
| Flash Flood | 18 |
| Flood | 16 |
| Lightning | 1 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1984 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 9 hurt, $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| October 1979 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | 1 hurt, $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1993 | Tornado (F2) | Arrington | $500,000 | The tornado formed west of Arrington near Highway K116 moved north along the Delware River bottom crossing the river 0.5 miles west of Muscotah, then moved northeast through open country before dissipating five miles west of Huron near the county lake. The Tornado was not on the ground continuously but bounced up and down leaving many areas undamaged. At least four farmsteads sustained significant damage along with many trees and numerous power poles and cable. No injures or deaths were reported. |
| April 1991 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| October 1979 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| March 1974 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| March 2019 | Flood | Oak Mills | $100,000 | The gauge in Leavenworth, Kansas reached 31.30 feet (2nd place at the time). Some resources were secured or moved off the base at Fort Leavenworth since some of the base was covered with water. The river remained in flood into the middle part of May. Note: The dollar value assigned to the damages is likely not accurate, as the full extent of the damage is unknown. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Atchison | $100,000 | Once the Missouri River started flooding on March 9, it remained in flood through the remainder of the month. The gauge in St. Joseph, Missouri reached 32.12 feet on March 22 (preliminarily a new record). The flooding was caused by several rounds of heavy snow across the Northern Plains through the winter months, followed by a rapid warm-up and several days of heavy rain. The Missouri River Basin across the Northern Plains flooded with catastrophic consequences as numerous dams and levees failed. As the water flowed into the Missouri River upstream of Buchanan County, the river swelled and ultimately overwhelmed the levees along the river. Local fields were also submerged, which delayed the growing season in the region, but several roads were washed away across Atchison County, and I-29 from St. Joseph northward to the Iowa/Missouri border was closed until mid May. Note: The dollar valued assigned to this event is likely inaccurate as a full tally of the extent of the physical damages is unknown. The Missouri River remained in flood through the rest of the month, into April. |
| October 1997 | Tornado (F1) | Muscotah | $100,000 | An F1 tornado touched down in Northeast Jackson County then tracked northeast through Western Atchison County south of Route 9 to 2 miles northwest of Muscotah. Spotters then tracked the tornado northward along Highway 159 to 2 miles south of Horton in Brown County which is 7 miles north of Muscotah. The tornado was estimated to be traveling at a speed of 40 to 45 MPH. Numerous power lines were reported blown down and two farm outbuilding were destroyed 2 miles northwest of Muscotah. The path of the tornado was based on the track through Atchson County only. |
| March 2006 | Hail | Atchison | $50,000 | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Hail | Cummings | $50,000 | no account filed |
| February 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lancaster | $30,000 | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Effingham | $25,000 | An F0 tornado briefly touched down 2 miles west southwest of Effingham Kansas, moving to the northeast around 1/4 of a mile. One house had windows blown out and on the same property a large grain truck was blown over with its windows knocked out.. It also destroyed two sheds and blew hay bales, lumber and debris all over the property. |
| March 2006 | Hail | Atchison | $25,000 | no account filed |
| November 1988 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1982 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 1965 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1964 | Tornado | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Lightning | Atchison | $22,000 | A lightning strike sparked a house fire. Damage was estimated at $22,000. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | $5,000 | A roof of a barn was blown off. Six inch diameter tree limbs were snapped off. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | $5,000 | Tractor trailers were overturned, and rail cars were blown over. Trees were also reported down. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | $5,000 | A tool shed was blown down. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | $5,000 | High winds knocked down trees, power lines and damaged crops. Damage was also reported north of Nortonville. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cummings | $5,000 | Winds estimated to 60 mph caused spotty damage and uprooted trees. |
| July 1995 | Hail | Effingham | $3,000 | A severe thunderstorm moved across Atchison County between 2230 CST and 1230 CST producing golf ball-size in Effingham and Potter. Pea-size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph were reported at Cummings and Lancaster. Numerous trees were reported blown down. |
| July 1995 | Hail | Potter | $3,000 | A severe thunderstorm moved across Atchison County between 2230 CST and 1230 CST producing golf ball-size in Effingham and Potter. Pea-size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph were reported at Cummings and Lancaster. Numerous trees were reported blown down. |
| March 1954 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| August 2011 | Hail | Muscotah | $2,000 | Several homes reported broken windows due to wind driven hail. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Muscotah | $2,000 | Numerous large trees and powerlines were reported down. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 60 mph. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Muscotah | $2,000 | Several outbuildings were reported destroyed. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 60 mph. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | $2,000 | Trees were reported blown down, with one falling on a car. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 60 mph. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | $1,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph. Windows on the north side of a home, were blown out. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | $1,000 | A severe thunderstorm moved through Atchison County. 60 mph winds were observed at Muscotah and trees were down in Atchison and in Effingham. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | $1,000 | A severe thunderstorm moved through Atchison County. 60 mph winds were observed at Muscotah and trees were down in Atchison and in Effingham. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | $500 | Three large oak trees were blown down and a high school goal post was blown over. |
| November 1988 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| May 1951 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| April 1973 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $30 | no account filed |
| May 2025 | Hail | Atchison | - | Quarter sized hail reported in Atchison. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | - | Downed wires and power outages in the Atchison area. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Potter | - | Downed wires near 206th Road near the community of Potter. |
| March 2024 | Hail | Farmington | - | Quarter size hail was reported south of Farmington. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison Earhart Arp | - | Downed tree limbs and wires and power outages reported in the Atchison area. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Effingham | - | Downed trees reported in Effingham. |
| October 2024 | Hail | Lancaster | - | Atchison County EM reports quarter sized hail in Lancaster. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lancaster | - | Measured 71 mph wind gust from a private weather station near Lancaster. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lancaster | - | Measured 68 mph wind gust in Lancaster. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lancaster | - | Downed tree limbs and wires reported in Lancaster. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | - | Tree uprooted near 5th street and T street. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Huron | - | Estimated 60 mph wind gust. |
| April 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | - | Large tree limbs reported down across Atchison. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Atchison | - | Quarter sized hail was reported in Atchison. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison | - | Casey's General Store employee estimated 70 mph winds through Atchison. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oak Mills | - | ASOS site at KOJC recorded a 58 mph wind gust. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lancaster | - | Roof damage to a building at 294th and Kingman. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Atchison Earhart Arp | - | Damage was done to a power pole near Neosho. |
| April 2019 | Flood | Oak Mills | - | Water was curb to curb on Ridgeview Road, just south of Santa Fe St. |
| April 2019 | Flood | Atchison | - | Ongoing flooding along the Missouri River continued through the month of April and into May. Several roads were closed near the banks of the Missouri River. This flooding began in mid March and due to upstream releases and continued periods of heavy rain the flooding continued into May. Monetary damages are unknown despite the entry indicating 0 dollars of damages. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Atchison | - | Heavy spring rains caused ongoing flooding along the Missouri River to Continue through the month. Some locations along the Missouri River experienced major flooding at times during the month. Damage estimates from roads washed out and crop damage are unknown at this time. |
| May 2019 | Tornado (EF1) | Effingham | - | A low topped supercell produced a tornado in Atchison County Kansas. This supercell was part of a larger group of supercells across northeast Kansas. Structural damage wasn't noted, but several power poles were snapped as a result of the narrow tornado. |
Every populated place in the county
20Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Atchison
Atchison city · 66002 · On White Clay Creek · Atchison East quadrangle
32 sheets, 1885 to 1990
-
Farmington
Center township · 66023 · On Little Stranger Creek · Lancaster quadrangle
20 sheets, 1885 to 1990
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Hawthorne
Mount Pleasant township · 66016 · On Spring Creek · Potter quadrangle
21 sheets, 1886 to 1960
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Monrovia
Center township · 66023 · On North Fork Stranger Creek · Lancaster quadrangle
20 sheets, 1885 to 1990
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Oak Mills
Walnut township · 66002 · On Little Walnut Creek · Oak Mills quadrangle
26 sheets, 1886 to 1984
-
Port Williams
Walnut township · 66002 · On Little Walnut Creek · Oak Mills quadrangle
26 sheets, 1886 to 1984
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.