Jim Ogle, Exective Director
ogle@freedomsfrontier.org
(785) 856-3635
(785) 409-9943 (cell)
Julie McPike, Managing Director
jmcpike@freedomsfrontier.org
(785) 856-5283
(785) 424-4453 (cell)
Sonia Smith, Communications Manager
ssmith@freedomsfrontier.org
(785) 856-5304
(785) 840-5499 (cell)
Quindaro community celebrates new National Commemorative Site
The designation of Quindaro Townsite as a National Commemorative Site will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 23, at 12 p.m. at the Quindaro Overlook, 3507 N 27th St, in Kansas City, Kansas. Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, and the Kansas City Kansas Convention and Visitors Bureau are hosting the event.
When S.47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, it established the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site.
Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area is coordinating the celebration on April 23, which will include guest speakers, local, state, and federal dignitaries. Expected to participate in the event are:
• Judge Duane Benton, U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals; Chair, Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area Board of Trustees. Judge Benton will be the master of ceremonies.
• Janith English, Principal Chief, Wyandot Nation of Kansas.
• Rev. Stacy Evans, Western University Association and Historic Allen Chapel AME.
• Mayor David Alvey, Unified Government of Wyandotte County & Kansas City, Kansas.
• Kevin Yoder, Former U.S. Representative for Kansas's 3rd congressional district.
• Secretary Brad Loveless, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.
• Sharice Davids, U.S. Representative for Kansas's 3rd congressional district.
• Senior United States Senator from Kansas, Pat Roberts.
• Jim Ogle, Executive Director, Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area.
Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site is the third site designated as a National Commemorative Site. During Tuesday's event, there will be an unveiling of a prototype of the signage showing that the site is a National Commemorative Site.
Quindaro was founded by abolitionists in the 1850s and became a Free State port of entry and stop on the Underground Railroad. The town provided a route for slaves to escape from Missouri and helped stop slavery from spreading west. Quindaro was abandoned and became overgrown, but was rediscovered during an archaeological dig in the 1980s.
The Quindaro Underground Railroad Museum, houses the artifacts of the townsite. It is part of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. In 2005, Senator Pat Roberts and then Senator Sam Brownback introduced legislation, signed into law, to establish the Heritage Area.
About Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area
Location: 41 counties in Eastern Kansas and Western Missouri
Area: 31,021 square miles
Population: 2,883,526 (2017 estimate)
Established: October 12, 2006
Counties involved: Kansas – Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clay, Coffey, Crawford, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte Missouri – Barton, Bates, Buchanan, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platte, Ray, St. Clair, Vernon