Rock Port
Here on Rock Creek in Missouri's fertile Glacial Plains, Rock Port was
laid out, 1851, by Nathan Meek and succeeded Linden as seat of Atchison County,
1856. A leader in corn production, the county, organized 1845 is named for
U.S. Sen. David R. Atchison.
In extreme northwest Missouri, Atchison is one of 6 counties formed from
the Platt Indian Purchase annexed to Missouri in 1837. The county's north
boundary was unsettled until 1851 when the U.S. Supreme Court had the Mo.-Iowa
boundary marked. To the west, the Mo. River channel separates the county
from Nebraska. In 1867, the river altered its course in one spot and the
Supreme Court ruled the abandoned channel the boundary in 1904, thus giving land
east of the river to Nebraska. In 1957, Mo. and Nebr. agreed to
reestablish the river boundary at this spot.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped along the Missouri in what is now
Atchison County, 1804, and Clark, impressed by the bare hills rising from the
river plain, named the area "Baldpated Prairie." Lewis explored nearby
Nishnabotna (Indian--Canoe making) River and call the country handsome.
Rock Port, the seat of Atchison County, serves an area first settled by
H.B. Roberts and Thomas Wilson, 1839, and listed in 1950 as having the highest
valued farm land and buildings in Missouri. Early settlements near here
included a short-lived German Colony, 1846-47, directed by Cornelius Schubert.
In the Civil War, Rock Port and Atchison County were at times subjected to
guerrilla raids and troop movements. It was not until 1881, when two
railroads were built through the county, that prosperity was assured. In
1880, Tarkio, the county's larges town was laid out by Charles, Perkins on
Tarkio (Indian -- Walnut) River. Tarkio (Presbyterian) College was founded
there in 1883-85.1
Rock Port was first incorporated in 1855 as Rockport and this forum of
spelling has also been used. In town is the County World War I Memorial
Building. The Brownville Mo. River Bridge (1940), between Mo. and Nebr.,
is owned by the county. Associated with county growth are Henry F Stapel,
Rock Port editor, a pioneer in mutual insurance movement; and David Rankin,
noted farmer and pioneer in the settlement of Tarkio. - Text of marker