Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site Act

Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate the comments of the gentleman from California, as well as the gentlewoman from Guam. To hear my community talked about so positively here on the floor of the House is a source of pride for me and the many who have worked so many years to have this moment come to fruition.

Today, the House of Representatives has the opportunity to grant long overdue recognition to a historical site in Kansas City, Kansas, that has its roots in our Nation's struggle for freedom and equality.

H.R. 5613, the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site Act, is my bill to confer an important new designation to a historic site that has been, unfortunately, overlooked on the Federal level for too long. By passing this legislation, we can take an important step toward preserving our heritage and learning from our past.

The story of Quindaro is rooted in the same ideals and principles that helped build our Nation and make it great today. At one time, Quindaro was a boomtown, a central location in the Bleeding Kansas conflict, a stop on the Underground Railroad, and a shining example of integrated society in our country.

At its height in the years leading up to the Civil War, Quindaro was a beacon of hope on the border between Kansas and Missouri, directly on the front lines of the fight against slavery. The town was founded by Free Soilers for the stated purpose of shepherding antislavery activists and escaped slaves into Kansas. For many, Quindaro was a gateway that led from oppression into freedom.

In 1861, the question of slavery in Kansas was finally decided, and our great State was accepted into the Union as a free State. With its purpose having been served, the town of Quindaro soon faded away. However, families of freed slaves settled in the area, establishing the roots of a community that continues to this very day.

This confluence of history, with Bleeding Kansas, the Underground Railroad, and an enduring African American community, is a unique combination that is rare in our country.

In spite of Quindaro's notable history, today, the ruins of the town sit largely overlooked by those outside of the nearby community. The first mention of an effort to preserve this historic site is found in a local newspaper more than 90 years ago. Unfortunately, nine decades have passed without much significant investment in the site.

Local stakeholders have worked hard to protect the site and preserve its stories. I thank those who worked to elevate Quindaro. There are many who deserve recognition for that work, but I would especially like to thank Marvin Robinson, the Allen Chapel AME Church, the Western University Association, the Wyandotte County Unified Government, and the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area, as well as Taylor Huhn in my office for his work to bring this bill to fruition.

I thank them for their years of dedication, for raising the historic site to my attention, and for educating me on its importance to community, State, and the Nation.

Today, we have an opportunity to bring meaningful Federal support to the folks who have dedicated their lives to Quindaro. The national commemorative site designation will be a crucial step toward spreading the story of Quindaro beyond the city limits of Kansas City to people around the Nation and will hopefully lead to their goal of becoming a national historic landmark.

Quindaro's legacy of people who were willing to lay down their lives in the name of freedom is the legacy of America. By preserving what remains of this town, we take a small but meaningful step toward preserving every good and noble thing that our great Nation stands for.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting our national heritage and pass this valuable legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5613) to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, as a National Historic Landmark, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City preserves an important piece of our past whose history should be known by all. The site preserves the ruins of a frontier town on the Missouri River, founded in 1857 as a free-state port of entry during the Kansas Territory's fight over the question of slavery. The town's diverse inhabitants were antislavery and included Americans of European and African American descent, as well as members of the Wyandot Tribe.

The Quindaro area was the location of an African American refugee settlement that began during the Civil War and grew into a prominent African American community. It was also the site of the Freedman's University and its successor institution, Western University, the first Black university in Kansas.

The Quindaro Townsite is on the National Register of Historic Places and, importantly, has been designated as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Quindaro's early residents assisted fugitive slaves escaping across the Missouri River to freedom.

Supporters of Quindaro have long sought elevated status and recognition for the site. H.R. 5613 designates Quindaro Townsite as a national commemorative site. This establishes the townsite as an affiliated area of the National Park System and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to offer technical assistance and support to Quindaro.

I want to compliment my colleague, Mr. Yoder, for bringing this matter to the attention of the Congress and for the work he has done to ensure that this site receives national recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Yoder), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her kind comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. Speaker, I would again like to say what a great pleasure it has been for me to work with Ms. Bordallo and the members of the Natural Resources Committee. It truly does work in a bipartisan manner, most of the time. And it is no coincidence that, most of the time, it is productive work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this bill, as amended, would designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas city, Kansas, as a national commemorative site, an honorary designation under the National Park System.

The town of Quindaro was founded in 1857 and was a key site during the Bleeding Kansas conflict, serving as a safe port of entry into Kansas on the Missouri River for those opposed to slavery. In addition, the town aided runaway slaves as they escaped to freedom in Kansas through the Underground Railroad.

Local government, private entities, and individual stakeholders in the area have been working to elevate the status of the Quindaro Townsite for years, and I am glad we were able to recognize its important cultural legacy with this bill.

I want to congratulate Congressman Yoder on his hard work, and I want to commend my colleagues from across the aisle for coming up with an appropriate designation for this site. Designation of Quindaro Townsite as a national commemorative site is a fitting tribute that ensures the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of its early residents will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to mention that I have enjoyed working with Mr. McClintock of California on these Natural Resources bills. It was a joy to have bipartisanship.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5613, to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas, a national commemorative site.

Quindaro was founded in 1857 to provide a safe haven for antislavery activists moving into Kansas during the struggle to help make the territory a free State. Located on the banks of the Missouri River, the site quickly became a vital port and a stop on the Underground Railroad. Although the town dwindled after Kansas became a State, Quindaro's short but rich history is an important reminder of Kansas' role in our Nation's history.

Currently, the site sits on the National Register of Historic Places. However, designating Quindaro a national commemorative site would qualify the downtown for additional Federal assistance as Quindaro pursues the ultimate goal of being a national historic landmark.

H.R. 5613 is a great step forward in that process and will help preserve an important piece of Kansas and American history. I am proud to cosponsor this bill, and I thank Representative Kevin Yoder for bringing it forward. I urge my colleagues to support it.