Quindaro Townsite named National Historic Landmark by Parks Service

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - The preservation of the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City has now been propelled with a National Historic Landmark designation.

The National Park Service announced on Thursday, May 22, that it has officially designated Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark. The move recognizes the area’s crucial role in the fight for freedom, education and equality in the U.S.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, a Lawrence-based nonprofit, indicated that the designation acknowledges Quindaro’s importance as a stop on the Underground Railroad and as a thriving 19th-century free Black community.

Organization leaders noted that Quindaro, which is located in present-day KCK, emerged in the 1850s as a “beacon of resistance” against the expansion of slavory during a crucial time in American. Founded by abolitionists, the settlement offered a safe haven for formerly enslaved individuals and became a point of entry into free territory.

Freedom’s Frontier indicated that the town later became home to institutions like Western University, the first Black university west of the Mississippi River.

“This designation is a profound recognition of the generations who lived, struggled, and persevered in Quindaro,” said Lucinda Adams, Executive Director of Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. “It ensures that this sacred ground is preserved for future generations to learn from and be inspired by.”

The organization indicated that National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects that have been deemed to have national significance in American history and culture by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The designation brings national attention and potential resources to help preserve the area.

Advocates said they have long fought for increased protection and recognition of the site’s historical significance to emphasize its role in African American heritage and American civil rights history.

“This is more than a designation; it’s a long-overdue acknowledgment of Quindaro’s place in the national narrative,” said the Honorable Karen Arnold-Burger, Vice Chair of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area Board of Trustees. “It reinforces our commitment to preserving and sharing stories that have too often been forgotten.”

With this new status, Freedom’s Frontier said Quindaro s an elite list of landmarks recognized for their exceptional value to American history. The designation helps to ensure the continued preservation and educational interpretation of the site for generations to come.

For more information about Quindaro and events to commemorate the landmark designation, click HERE.

Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.