A brief history of Caleb and Rebecca Harvey, missionaries in the Quaker Shawnee Mission in 1858
Creator: Duvall, Dorothy
Date: August 23, 1940
This item, written by Dorothy Duvall, the granddaughter of Caleb and Rebecca Harvey, provides a four-page history of the Harvey's missionary experiences at the Quaker Shawnee Mission. Duvall explains that the Harvey's went to the Shawnee Mission in 1858 after leaving Springfield, Ohio. According to Duvall, Caleb Harvey was an agricultural teacher, and Rebecca Harvey "taught the girls household duties of every sort and how to sew."

Aerial photograph of Atchison, Kansas
Creator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Date: June 16, 1981
This is an aerial view of Atchison, Kansas taken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A portion of the Missouri River is visible.

Aerial view of Kansas City, Kansas
Date: July 20, 1959
This is an aerial view of Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. Places visible in the photograph include the Fairfax Airport in the upper right corner, the Missouri River, Fairfax Trafficway, and Quindaro Boulevard.

Axe Head for War or Tourist Trade?
Date: Unknown
This metal axe head has a somewhat confusing history. It was purchased from a museum in Wisconsin in 1956 and at that time was noted as coming from the Osage tourist trade. At some point prior to the purchase the axe head was covered with gilt paint. Later scholars argued for the axe to more likely be an example of a Missouri War Axe, a type of hand axe used for hand-to-hand fighting among tribes along the Missouri River. Which do you think it might be?

Bird's eye view of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Creator: United States Army, Department of Missouri
Date: 1881
This black and white (brown) lithograph of Fort Leavenworth was created by Wilhelm Dannmeier, an architect, engraver, and lithographer who was top assistant to the Chief Engineer, Department of Missouri, United States Army. The names of the various buildings and areas are identified in the lower margin below the location of the building. The structures are not directly identified with numbers of letters. The major buildings on the post are listed. The Missouri River is on the right side of the lithograph.

Bird's eye view of the city of Atchison, Kansas
Date: 1869
This colored lithograph is a bird's eye view of Atchison, Kansas, the county seat of Atchison County. The legend at the bottom of the image lists the Court House, Jail, the Public School, St. Benedict's College (Benedictine), Turner Hall, the shops of the Central Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad, the Missouri Valley Railroad depot, and a number of churches. Two African American churches are included in the list. Several of the numbers from the legend are difficult to locate on the lithograph. The name of the artist and the publisher of the lithograph are not legible. The Missouri River forms the eastern boundary of Atchison and Winthrop, Missouri, is across the river from Atchison. A number of steamboats are shown on the river including the N. S. Turner.

Buttons from 14LV334
Date: 1830-1900
These four buttons were collected from a multicomponent site overlooking the Missouri River in Leavenworth County. The site, with occupations in the Middle Ceramic and Historic periods, may have once been a Kickapoo habitation site in addition to later habitations. The buttons include a ladies dress button made of jet with a linear design and a loop or shank back; a metal four-hole sew through button, likely for pants; a white china four-hole dish button; and a wooden recessed four-hole sew through button.

Cattle yard at Moore's Summit, on branch road between Lawrence & Leavenworth, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows cattle and swine in a corral at Moore's Summit, Leavenworth County, Kan. The image is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Construction on the Amelia Earhart Memorial bridge at Atchison, Kansas
Creator: Jacobson, John Robert, 1937-2012
Date: Between 2011 and 2012
Here are photographs showing workers building the Amelia Earhart Memorial bridge over the Missouri River at Atchison, Kansas. The bridge opened in December 2012.

Courthouse in Independence, Missouri
Creator: Meyer, Herrmann J.
Date: 1854
A copy of an engraving of the courthouse in Independence, Missouri. The reproduction first appeared in "United States Illustrated" and depicts the early settlement of Independence and its courthouse. Located along the Kansas and Missouri border, the town was considered the "Queen City of Trails" because it was the point of departure for the Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails.

Cyrus K. Holliday to Samuel N. Wood
Creator: Holliday, Cyrus Kurtz, 1826-1900
Date: September 19, 1860
Dated Sept. 19, 1860, from Topeka, Kansas Territory, this brief letter from Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway founder, Cyrus K. Holliday, urges Samuel N. Wood to garner support and signatures to influence the course of a proposed "R.R. [railroad] from the Mo. River via Topeka toward your place. . . . Now is the time to act and act promptly."

Cyrus Kurtz Holliday to Mary Dillon Holliday
Creator: Holliday, Cyrus Kurtz, 1826-1900
Date: July 2, 1856
Cyrus K. Holliday wrote from Topeka, Kansas Territory, where hundreds of free state supporters were gathering for a Mass Convention on the 3rd and meeting of the free state legislature on the 4th, to his wife, Mary Holliday, in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Cyrus reported that U. S. dragoons from Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley were camped around Topeka, since difficulty was expected. [In fact, U. S. and proslavery troops dispersed the free state legislature on the 4th.) Two companies of northern immigrants had been turned back at the Missouri River. Cyrus seemed skeptical that effective action would be taken against this outrage.

Documents relating to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company, volume 1
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company
Date: July 1, 1890
This volume contains land grants, statutory powers and judicial interpretations, issues of capital stock, leases, purchases, mortgages, indentures of trust securing the bonds of the company, and the act incorporating the ATSF Railroad Company. The latter, which appears on pages 3-8, was passed at the fifth session the Legislative Assembly of Kansas Territory in 1859. It was classified as part of the "private laws of the Territory of Kansas." The act was signed by Governor Samuel Medary. The law listed the following as incorporators: S. C. Pomeroy, C. K. Holliday, Luther C. Challis, Peter T. Abell, Milton C. Dickey, Asaph Allen, Samuel Dickson, Nelson L. Gordon, George S. Hillyer, Lorenso D. Bird, Jeremiah Murphy, George H. Fairchild, and R. L. Crane. Volume one, part of a three volume set, was compiled by Henry W. Swift for the A. T. & S. F. in 1890 at the request of John J. McCook, General Counsel, and George R. Peck, General Solicitor, for the railroad company.

Ephraim Nute to unidentified recipient
Creator: Nute, Ephraim
Date: February 24, 1859
Ephaim Nute of Lawrence provides an interesting description of the plight of one of the Doy party's fugitive slaves, captured and jailed at Platte City until his escape and dangerous flight back to Lawrence. "We have him now hid & are to day making arrangements to have him set forward tomorrow 30 miles to another depot. I think they (there are 2 others to go) will not be taken again without bloodshed." Nute also mentioned his involvement in the "Charley Fisher affair in Leavenworth." Fisher, a black fugitive, had actually come to Nute's house "disguised in female attire."

Expositions, Centennials, Conventions; Missouri River Improvement Convention
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin)
Date: 1885-1889
This letter, dated December 9th, 1885, is from H. N. Kirkpatrick, the corporate secretary of the Kirkpatrick-Christopher Commission Company, regarding a Missouri River Improvement Convention to Kansas Governor John Martin. Kirkpatrick enclosed a pamphlet explaining the reasons for the convention as well as the goals and outcomes of the convention. The Missouri River Improvement convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri on December 29th, 1885.

Feeding time at Moore's Summit, on branch road between Lawrence & Leavenworth, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows swine being fed in a corral at Moore's Summit, Leavenworth County, Kansas. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Flood disaster, Kansas City
Creator: Tyner and Murphy
Date: July 1951
This panoramic photograph shows 1951 flooding in Kansas City, Missouri. This view is north of downtown. Bridges are flooded and water is high on the sides of buildings. People are shown viewing the flooding at the bottom left of the photograph. The photograph was taken by Tyner and Murphy and is labeled image 19808-B.

Fort Osage, Missouri
Creator: Palenske, Louis F., 1858-1943
Date: 1928-1938
Two unidentified men stand near the ruins of Fort Osage, Missouri, with the Missouri River in the background. Louis Palenske took this photo with his Korona Panoramic View Camera while on his photographic excursion along the Old Santa Fe Trail. Funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission through the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Fur traders attacked on the Missouri River
Creator: Cary, William De La Montagne,1840 - 1922
Date: May 23, 1868
A line drawing showing fur traders on the Missouri River being attacked by Indians. The line drawing was copied from Harper's Weekly, May 23, 1868, page 329.

George Jacob Remsburg, Amatuer Archeologist
Date: Unknown
George Jacob Remsburg (1871 - 1954) of Potter, Kansas, was active as a newspaperman, a farmer, served as Justice of the Peace, Clerk of the District School Board, and Vice President of the American Society of Curio Collectors. His interest in archeology and history directed him to Doniphan, Atchison, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. He conducted many surveys along the Missouri Rive and, in later years, collected numerous artifacts, some of which have been donated to the Kansas Historical Society.

George Walter, History of Kanzas
Creator: Walter, George
Date: 1855
This history was written by George Walter, agent for the New York Kanzas League. The purpose of the League was to assist individuals and families to emigrate to Kansas and help provides reduced prices and other assistance. The office of the New York Kanzas League was located on the 3rd floor of No. 110 Broadway, New York City. Walter provided the information he thought emigrants to Kansas would need including descriptions of the situation in the territory, its climate, soil, rivers, and native products. He also gave information about industry in Kansas Territory, particularly the milling industry. He provided information on routes and supplies needed as well as a copy of the reemption law. The text of the Bill to organize the territories of Kansas and Nebraska was included on pages 24 through 48 of the pamphlet.

Great Bend, Missouri River, at Wyandotte, Kansas
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows the great bend of the Missouri River at Wyandotte, Kansas. The image was taken 286 miles west of St. Louis, Missouri. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Harry Leroy Woolston
Date: Between 1935 and 1939
Here are five photographs of Harry Leroy Woolston who worked as a toll collector at the east end of Missouri River bridge at Atchison, Kansas. He worked for the Atchison & Eastern Bridge Company until the highway bridge was opened in 1938.

Hiram Hill to Dear Brother
Creator: Hill, Hiram, 1804-
Date: May 13, 1855
After arriving in Kansas City by steamboat, Hiram Hill wrote to his brother. En route, four men had died of cholera while others continued to drink and play cards nearby. Disease fatalities were common, Hill reported. He speculated that the river water, which passengers drank, was contaminated with disease from the rich prairie soil. Hill described life at the Winedot [sic] Indian Reservation (beginning at the bottom of page 2) where he met the "prinsable chiefe" and saw the governor's sister. Hill related news concerning Mr. Putnam, Mr. Tomas, Mr. Gague, Mr. Jay, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Whitman, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Fuller and others. He was skeptical that these men would permanently settle in Kansas Territory. Hill also described Kansas City, which he thought would improve under "yankee," rather than "slave holder," management. (Hill's final destination was Lawrence, where he acquired town lots through quit claims not included in this online project.)

Hiram Hill to O.G. Hill
Creator: Hill, Hiram, 1804-
Date: March 18, 1857
Hiram Hill, en route to Kansas Territory, wrote from Jefferson City, Missouri, to his brother back east. Hill reported that the journey so far had been pleasant, though they had been delayed by a train wreck and were currently waiting for a boat to take them up the River. He mentioned his experiences with border ruffians, finding that they were "civil" unless they "get too much whiskey down". Hill lamented the resignation of Kansas Territory's Governor Geary, but related that he saw the new marshal, who was on his way to K.T., in St. Louis.