On 16 May 1919, the Bandırma Steamer directed by Captain İsmail Hakkı (Durusu) was taking Mustafa Kemal Paşa (Pasha) (Atatürk) who was appointed as the Inspector of 9th Army Detachments and his companions to Samsun. Atatürk was charged with ensuring public security in Samsun and its outskits. They arrived at Sinop on 18 May 1919. Atatürk got on the quay and asked if there was a car way to Samsun. Harbour on 19 May 1919, Tuesday, at 6:00, That was the hour at which Atatürk set his foot in Samsun and Anatolia in order to revive and recover a defeated, weary and suffering nation. He arrived at Samsun with 18 officers from Inspection Headquarters. These officers and their ranks were as follows:

1. Staff Colonel Refet Bele, wommander of 3rd Army Corps,

2. Inspection Staff Chief Colonel Kazım Dirik,

3. Dr. Colonel İbrahim Tali Öngören, Head of Health Department,

4. Lieutenant Colonel Arif Ayıcı, Deputy Staff Chief,

5. Major Hüsrev Gerede Intelligence Director of Inspection Headguarters,

6. Artillery Major Kemal Doğan,

7. Dr. Major Refik Saydam,

8. Chief Assistant Captain Cevat Abbas Gürer,

9. Captain Mümtaz Tunay,

10. Captain İsmail Hakkı Dede,

11. Captain Ali Şevket Ödersav,

12. Captain Mustafa Vasfi Süsoy,

13. First Lieutenant Hayati,

14. First Lieutenant Arif Hikmet Gerçekçi,

15. First Lieutenant Abdullah,

16. Lieutenant Muzaffer Kılıç,

17. Code Clerk Faik Aybars,

18. Code Clerk Assistant Memduh Atasev.

The citizens of Samsun welcomed Atatürk warning. Atatürk and his companions settled in Mıntıka Palace. It was a two-floor stone building. When the governor was informed about the visit he ordered this building to be prepared. Atatürk stayed in this hotel and studiedt here. The first day he came to Samsun, he asked the governors and army corps commanders about the situation of the public order. The other day, he informed Grand Vizier Damat Ferit Paşa with telegram that "he would never accept the invasion of İzmir..." and contacted with Kazım Karabekir Paşa, commander of 15th Army Corps in Erzurum. In his 4th and 5th days in Samsun, he attracted the attention of İstanbul Government and Entente States with his suspicious behaviours. On 25 May 1919 he came to Havza on the ground that "he would transfer the Headquarters to Havza temporarily in order to examine some complaints and take the necessary measures..." The Mesudiye Hotel which had been used as the Municipality Department was rented to the Inspection Headquarters and Atatürk worked there with his friends until 13 June 1919 in Havza.

The 2nd day in Havza, on 16 May 1919, he accepted Havza Mayor İbrahim and other notable persons of Havza and told them the following:

"We will neverlose our hope, we will work and save this country". As it is known, the events developed rapidly after this. Atatürk initiated the first resistance movements against the İstanbul government and entente states and transferred his Headquarters to Amasya on 13 June 1919.
 

He Came to Samsun for the 2nd Time:

One year after the declaration of the Republic, Atatürk came to Samsun for teh 2nd time during Autumn. During this journey, he travelledfrom Ordu to Samsun with Hamidiye battleship. He was a accompanied by his wife, Latife Hanım, and his close friends. They got on the cars from the harbour and went to the Municipality Samsun people stopped them many times on the way because of their great love enthusiasm. Atatürk visited the directors of various institutions and after that, they retired to Şahinzade Remzi Bey villa.

That evening, Samsun major arranged a dinner in honour of Atatürk. İbrahim Veysi, mayor of Samsun, made a speech and Atatürk responded him by giving his thanks. At that time the mayor stood up and pointed at the armchair behind Atatürk:

- Mr. President had sat on that armchair in the municipality department when he first came to Samsun. It owes its being here to its ouspiciousness.

Atatürk was moved. He said that his reminiscence was freshened again and gave a speech. "When I first saw Samsun and its people! believed that all their ideals and decisions about our contry and our nation could definitely be achieved. The patriotism and sacrifice I read on their faces turned my hopes and contemplation into a positive belief..."

The other day, in the morning of 21 September, Atatürk participated in the inauguration ceremony of Samsun -Çarşamba Railway. He made a speech here and started the construction using a silver shovel and pickaxe. In the afternoon, he visited the government, hospitals and the Mıntıka Palace that he had stayed five years ago. The owners of the Mıntıka Palace presented the building to Atatürk as a gift. He was very pleased and thanked them. On 22 September 1924 he participated in the reception in the Samsun Trade School given by the teachers. He gave a long speech here and emphasized the importance of positive sciences he said "The truest guide for everything, civilisation, life and success in the world is science. To search for guides other than science is heedless and ignorant" he contoment. "Our nation has a protounal history. Think a bout the past of our nation. This idea certainly takes us to the Grand Turkish Era, Which is equal to each of the eras rooted in the Ottoman Empire which had survived for 6 or seven centuries, Seljukian Turks and those even before them."

He was thrilled that day. On the Fourth day in Samsun, he had meetings with the officials in the municipality building. He dwelled upon the problems of the city. In his leisure hours, he demanded historical books from the library of Samsun and read them.

In the house of Şahinzade Remzi Bey where he sojourned with his wife in Samsun, he wrote down in the family album the following remembrances. "I especially want to emphosize the hospitality and courtesy shown us by the host of the house of Şahinzade Remzi Bey during our days in Samsun. 23 September 1340 (1924) Gazi (Ghazi) Mustafa Kemal".

He left Samsun in the morning of 24 September and came to Havza. He made a speech in the municipality building and said: "Heroes of Havza! I met with you during my most woeful and grievous days. I stayed with you for many days. I utilised very much from studies and help in this building which reminds me of the most precious reminiscences of the past" and praised the people of Havza. In the afternoon of the same day he moved to Amasya.
 

Samsun for the Third Time

During the days when the reform of alphabet was executed with great zeal, he sailed to the Black Sea from İstanbul with İzmir steamer and came to Samsun on 16 September 1928. He was accompanied by Prime Minister İsmet İnönü, Kılıç Ali, Dr. Refik Saydam and chief Assistant Rusuhi. After the welcoming during ceremony he arrived at the Mıntıka Palace where he had stayed his first visit to Samsun. This house was now furnished with his first furniture. He wrote down the following on a paper on his study table with new letters:

(Samsun, 16 September 1928. It is past eight. I am writing these down while waiting for İsmet Paşa. My first arrival is well known. I am reading the date on the cover of the long cigarette package on my table: 19 May 1335. I had come here once again after that. Nearly four years ago. İsmet Paşa came, I am stopping to write. Gazi Mustafa Kemal).

That day and the other day, he carried out studies to teach the new alphabet to the officers and public in the government building. He moved to Havza in the morning of 18 September and to Amasya after that.
 

Fourth and the Last Time

Atatürk came to Samsun for the fourth and last time on 22 November 1930, at 21:00 P.M. this time he was coming from Havza via Amasya. He spent the night in his own villa the ground floor of which was the office of the Republican Peoples' Party. The next day, on 23 November 1930, he made an excursion in Samsun with Minister of Interiror, Şükrü Kaya, and Governor Kazım Paşa. He went to Çarşamba District on 24 November and had a chat meeting with the youth in Turkish Association. On leaving, he wrote down in the Association on Wednesday were worth being proud of. He spent two more days in Samsun. On 26 November 1930 he attended the lessons in a high school, participated in a concert in the Turkish Association and went to Trabzon with Ege Steamer at 16:00. The villa that he resided in (Mıntıka Palace) Was arranged as the Atatürk Museum by Samsun Public.