An early Native settlement, Quindaro, offered enslaved individuals the opportunity to be free. This site of historical significance has often been overlooked. Now, groups are devoted to preserving its history.
Writer's note: Entering the ruins site on your own is not permitted. Both for your safety and the preservation of the delicate remains, please respect the rules. Guided tours are offered. All images are from a guided hike with Urban Hike KC.
On the edge of the Missouri River, in present-day Kansas City, Kansas, little is left of the once-thriving community of Quindaro. But there are signs. The ruins of Quindaro, though ravaged by time and nature, still tell the story of its diverse past.
Upon arrival at the Quindaro Ruins & Overlook, a massive statue greets you. It is of a man who was larger than life himself: John Brown. He was a complicated historical figure, but abolitionists viewed him as a hero. Brown lived in Kansas for only a few years during the Bleeding Kansas era. But he made an impact and left his mark on the state. (Which is putting it lightly.) This statue of Brown stands where Western University us to be.
Walking north from the statue, you'll come to a scenic overlook. From the stone structure, the Missouri River is straight ahead. The wide grassy path, lined with tall trees, was once the main street in Quindaro, Kansas Avenue.
What does the word Quindaro mean? Pronounced “quin-dare-oh,” it translates to “bundle of sticks” in the Wandat (Wyandot Nation) language. In a KANSAS! magazine article, Holly Zane an enrolled citizen of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas, explained it represents “strength in numbers.”
The Wyandot Nation Arrive
After their removal from Ohio, the Wyandot Nation established Quindaro in 1850. The Wyandot people opposed slavery. Quindaro became a safe refuge for enslaved men and women seeking freedom. To escape the slave state of Missouri, they would swim across the river's turbulent waters. Quindaro's placement along the river was intentional for this purpose.
In 1856, two years after the Kansas Territory opened, abolitionist Abelard Guthrie began to develop Quindaro from a settlement to a township. He was a member of the Wyandot people through his wife, Nancy Quindaro Brown Guthrie. While some Wyandot people had disbanded, those remaining worked with Guthrie on this endeavor. In 1856, Guthrie and others formed the Quindaro Town Company.
With its access to the river, Quindaro transformed into a bustling port community. Steamships carrying supplies and people were a common sight along the mighty Missouri. Within its first six months, it reported a population of 600. To accommodate its residents and travelers, Quindaro boasted two churches, a lumber mill, a brewery, and a large hotel. The hotel, named the Quindaro House, was also the townsite's central meeting space. A business directory from November 1857 showed four doctors, two lawyers, and a druggist.
An interesting historical note: A stage line ran between Quindaro and Lawrence. It charged a $3.00 fare.
The town also had a newspaper, the Quindaro Chindowan. Clarina Nichols, a notable early resident of Quindaro, was associate editor of the abolitionist paper. Nichols held strong convictions for abolition and women's suffrage. She traveled throughout northeast Kansas, giving lectures for both causes. While in Quindaro, Nichols participated in the Underground Railroad. She harbored many escaping slavery and assisted them in finding freedom. One story is of Nichols hiding a woman named Caroline overnight in her empty cistern.
There were several accounts in the Chindowan of free Black men and women being kidnapped from Quindaro. Bounty hunters would take them to Missouri and then send them south.
Soon after Kansas won statehood in 1861, Quindaro's prosperous times began to change. With men off to fight in the Civil War, a national depression, and no railroad, many town residents moved on. During the war, in 1862, the 9th Kansas Volunteers took over Quindaro as their outpost. That same year, Quindaro House went up for auction.
Attempts to Save the Quindaro Ruins
After the war, efforts were made to revitalize Quindaro. This included the founding of Freedman's University, which was later renamed Western University. As school attendance dwindled, the university closed in 1944.
Outside of strife about utility access and land usage, there seemed a lack of interest in Quindaro or its history. That is, until developers proposed a landfill for the site in the 1980s, an archaeological study was required.
The survey's findings sparked citizens and historians to protect what remained of Quindaro. After almost a decade of lawsuits, Kansas City, Kansas, and the developers settled. The actions saved Quindaro Ruins from becoming a trash heap. In 2019, the site became protected by the federal government. Quindaro is one of only three U.S. national commemorative sites.
Where to learn more:
If you're interested in learning more about the ongoing work at the Quindaro site, visit the Quindaro Ruirns Townsite Project. The Wyandot Nation of Kansas also has a thorough history of Quindaro. Both were helpful resources in my research. As well as newspaper articles.
Tour Info: The Quindaro Ruirns Townstire Project provides tours and as well as Urban Hike KC.
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