The mighty Missouri River cuts into the northeast corner of Kansas, keeping us from becoming "just another" rectangular state. Flowing southeast through Nebraska, it turns west toward Atchison, then--just below Atchison--swings back east to join the Kansas River in Kansas City and flows on eastward to the Mississippi River. The Missouri is wide enough and deep enough for barge river traffic.

The Benedictine monks established St. Benedict's Abbey in the late 1850's. About 40 monks reside at the abbey, which was completed in 1929. The church was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and was completed in 1957. The abbey is associated with Benedictine College at the site.

On July 4, 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through what is now Atchison and camped near the site of a former Indian village. In honor of the day, they named two local streams--Fourth of July 1804 Creek and Independence Creek. They had just started their Voyage of Discovery up the Missouri River. World-famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart was born in her grandparents' Atchison home on July 24, 1897. She spent much time in her formative years at Atchison. The Atchison Co. Historical Society has a nice display of Amelia memoribilia. Her grandparents home may be toured. Visit Earhart on-line biography | Visit Official Amelia Earhart site

Cyrus K. Holliday and associates incorporated the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in Atchison. By the 1880's, Atchison was one of the major rail centers of the state. The AT&SF railroad is now a part of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad

The International Forest of Friendship at Warnock Lake is a living, growing memorial to those who have been involved in aviation and space exploration. The site was established as a bicentennial project by the City of Atchison and The Ninty-Nines Inc., an international organization of women pilots. Each June, new honorees are inducted into the forest with plaques embedded in the walkway that winds through trees representing all 50 states and over 35 countries in which forest honorees reside.

Sculptor: David T.S. Jones (see comment, below)

A life-size bronze statue of Amelia Earhart gazes over the Forest of Friendship. Also near Warnock Lake is a commemorative earthwork by Kansas artist Stan Herd. Composed in 1997 of permanent plantings, stone and other natural materials, the work is most impressive when viewed from the air.

Our Traveling Friends highly recommend the River House for fine dining, Paolucci's for causual lunch, Nell Hill's (downtown on the Commerical Street Mall) when shopping for the home, touring the local Victorian mansions, and visiting the Atchison County Historical Society museum, located in the old Santa Fe depot at 200 S. 10th.