One of the main water courses of NE Kansas, rises in Washington County, about 2 Mi. W of Sabetha. In the Lower Republican-Kansas River Basin. At first its course is SE through Washington County, across the SW corner of Brown County and the NE corner of Jackson County, until it enters Atchison County about 3 Mi. S of the NW corner. From this point its course is more S~ through Atchison and Jefferson County until it falls into the Kansas River nearly opposite the town of Lecompton. Its principal tributaries are Cedar, Plum, Gregg's, Walnut, Rock, White Horse, Big and Little Slough and Catamount creeks, and the Little Delaware river. Originally the stream was called Grasshopper river, but the visitation of grasshoppers in 1874 rendered the name unpopular and the legislature passed an act in 1875, changing the name to Delaware river.
Native American, The Delaware Tribe or the 'Lenape', (Len-NAH-pay), were amoung the first tribes to sign peace treaties with the US government.
