HR 8276
Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act
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Bill overview
This bill officially designates the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as a National Historic Landmark. It recognizes the town’s crucial role in the Free-State movement and as a safe haven for enslaved people escaping to freedom during the Bleeding Kansas era. The designation aims to protect the site’s historical resources and provide educational opportunities for the public, while also ensuring property owners retain their rights.
Key provisions
- Designates the Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark.
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with public and private entities for preservation and educational programs.
- Permits the Secretary to provide technical and financial assistance to cooperating entities.
- States that the designation does not prohibit property owners from taking actions on their land.
- Confirms that Kansas City, Kansas, and the State retain administration of the site.
Who is affected
- Kansas City, Kansas
- The State of Kansas
- Local government entities
- Private entities
- Descendants of those involved in the Free-State movement
Notable changes
- Formal recognition of the Quindaro Townsite’s historical significance at the national level.
- Potential for increased preservation efforts and educational programs.
- Clarification of property owner rights within the designated area.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8276
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To designate the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act
.
Congress finds that—
the town of Quindaro was founded in 1857, in the Territory of Kansas, with the specific intent of aiding the Free-State movement in the struggle over whether to admit Kansas to the Union as a free State or a slave State;
as a result of the circumstances described in paragraph (1), the town of Quindaro played an important role in the history of Kansas and the broader debate over slavery in the United States;
the town of Quindaro was a key site during the conflict, known as the Bleeding Kansas
conflict, serving as a safe port of entry into Kansas on the Missouri River for people opposed to slavery;
the town of Quindaro also acted as an important piece of the Underground Railroad, allowing runaway slaves to escape to freedom in Kansas;
since the first excavation of the Quindaro Townsite, the area has yielded a wealth of important artifacts that have contributed to the understanding of the town and the place of the town in history;
the Quindaro Townsite maintains a high level of archaeological integrity, with the potential for additional discoveries at the townsite in the future;
local government, private entities, and individual stakeholders in the area have invested time and resources to further the preservation of the physical remains of the town and the historical and cultural legacy of the town; and
the Quindaro Townsite fits the requirements for National Historic Landmark designation of—
possessing exceptional value in illustrating the history of the United States; and
providing the potential to yield new information about the history of the United States.
In this Act:
The term Landmark means the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark designated by section 4(a).
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
The term State means the State of Kansas.
The Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is designated as the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark
.
The Secretary, in consultation with the State, Kansas City, Kansas, and affected subdivisions of the State, may enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate public or private entities, for the purposes of—
protecting historic resources at the Landmark; and
providing educational and interpretive facilities and programs at the Landmark for the public.
The Secretary may provide technical and financial assistance to any entity with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (1).
Designation of the Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark shall not prohibit any actions that may otherwise be taken by a property owner (including any owner of the Landmark) with respect to the property of the owner.
Nothing in this section affects the administration of the Landmark by Kansas City, Kansas, or the State.