They crossed the Missouri River near Fort Leavenworth and continued to travel up stream along the western bank until they reached the place where Atchison now stands. There, they found a site that was the natural outlet of a remarkably rich agricultural region just open to settlement. They also found that two men named George M. Million and Samuel Dickson had staked claims near the river. Million's claim lay south of what is now known as Atchison Street and consisted of a quarter section. Dickson had built a small cabin on his claim, and this cabin was the first structure erected on the site of the present city. Million had a ferry, on which he crossed to the Missouri side to his home, but on the day the prospectors arrived, he was on the Kansas side. From a map in his possession, the prospectors found that they were at the location decided upon before leaving Missouri.

As all the men in the party, except Dr. John H. Stringfellow, had already taken claims in the valley of Walnut Creek, he was the only member of the party who could select a claim. He therefore took a tract north of Million's. The proposition of forming a town company for the future city was laid before the first settlers. Dickson was willing, but Million did not care to cut up his claim. He offered to sell his claim for $1,000 -- an exorbitant price for land at the time -- but the men from Platte City had determined to found a city on that particular spot, and the purchase was made. A town company was formed and a week later, a meeting was held under a tree on the bank of the river, about a half block south of where Atchison Street now runs. There were 18 persons present when the town company was formally organized by electing Peter T. Abell, president; James Burns, treasurer; and Dr. John H. Stringfellow, secretary.

The site was divided into 100 shares by the company, of which each member retained five shares, the remainder being reserved for common benefit of all. By September 20, 1854, Henry Kuhn had surveyed the 480 acres and made a plat, and the next day was fixed for the sale of lots, an event of great importance as it had become understood that Senator David Rice Atchison would make a speech upon the political question of the day, hence the sale would be of political as well as business significance. At his meeting on the 21st, two public institutions of vital interest to a new community were planned for -- a hotel and a newspaper. Each share of stock in the town company was assessed $25, the proceeds to be used to build the National Hotel, which was completed in the spring of 1855 on the corner of Second and Atchison Streets, and $400 was donated to Dr. John H. Stringfellow and R. S. Kelley to erect a printing office. In February, 1855, the Squatter Sovereign was issued. The first post office in Atchison was established March 15, 1855, with Robert S. Kelley as postmaster.

For years there had been considerable trade up and down the Missouri River, which had naturally centered at Leavenworth, but in June, 1855, several overland freighters were induced to select Atchison as their outfitting point.

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