Atchison County is named for David Rice Atchison, who was a United States Senator at the time of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Brown County and Doniphan County
E – Buchanan County, Missouri
S – Leavenworth County and Jefferson County
W – Jackson County
Created: August 25, 1855 
County Seat:
Atchison 1855 – present
County Courthouse – Atchison
Location: 423 North 5th Street / Parallel Street
Built: 1896 – 1897
Style: Romanesque Revival
Architect: George P Washburn & Sons of Ottawa
Contractor: F H Latimer & Charles W Benning
Description: The building faces east and is a three story gray ashlar stone and granite structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Atchison and sits on a slight slope. The building has a raised basement. A smooth cut stone belt course continues all the way around the building at the first story. The east front has a large arch at the entrance with recessed doorway to the first story. On the northeast corner is high square stone six story clock tower with steep roof. On the other corners are small stone towers with steep roof. In the center of the east side, the building rises to a peak with arched window. The south and north sides also have center peaks with large arched window. On the west side, the building is connected by a concrete areaway to the Law Enforcement Center. In the interior are iron staircases. The County District Court courtroom is located along the center of the north side of the second story. On the south side is a small courtroom on the second story. The building houses the County District Court of the 1st Judicial District. During construction, A D Clark of Atchison was the superintendent and A Semple was in charge of the stonecutting. On the west side is the modern Law Enforcement Center designed by Shaughnessy, Pickel and Scott Architects Inc. and constructed by Universal Construction Company Inc. in 1999 to 2000.
Note: The gray ashlar stone was supplied by the Consolidated Stone Company of Bedford, Indiana. The plumbing and heating contract was let on July 6, 1896 to James Cotter of Kansas City for $6,547.
Note: The architect, George P Washburn & Sons, designed courthouses in Anderson County, Butler County, Chautauqua County, Doniphan County, Franklin County, Harper County, Kingman County, Miami County, Pratt County and Woodson County, and Beaver County in Oklahoma.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Atchison County Courthouse
See: The 1st Judicial District include Leavenworth County.
History: The county was created in 1855 and Atchison was selected as the county seat. The first county meeting was at the home of O B Dickerson in Atchison in 1855. The first courthouse was built by Luther Dickerson in Atchison in 1859. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1896 to 1897 at a cost of $61,625.
County Courthouse – Atchison
County District Court courtroom
Small courtroom
Law Enforcement Center – Atchison
Photos taken 2009, 2022 and 2023