I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5878 

To designate the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 3, 2023 

Mr. LATURNER (for himself, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, and Mr. CLEAVER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To designate the Quindaro Townsite National Historic 

Landmark, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Quindaro Townsite 

5 National Historic Landmark Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

8 (1) the town of Quindaro was founded in 1857, 

9 in the Territory of Kansas, with the specific intent 

10 of aiding the Free-State movement in the struggle 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 5878 IH

1 over whether to admit Kansas to the Union as a free 

2 State or a slave State; 

3 (2) as a result of the circumstances described in 

4 paragraph (1), the town of Quindaro played an im5 portant role in the history of Kansas and the broad6 er debate over slavery in the United States; 

7 (3) the town of Quindaro was a key site during 

8 the conflict, known as the ‘‘Bleeding Kansas’’ con9 flict, serving as a safe port of entry into Kansas on 

10 the Missouri River for people opposed to slavery; 

11 (4) the town of Quindaro also acted as an im12 portant piece of the Underground Railroad, allowing 

13 runaway slaves to escape to freedom in Kansas; 

14 (5) since the first excavation of the Quindaro 

15 Townsite, the area has yielded a wealth of important 

16 artifacts that have contributed to the understanding 

17 of the town and the place of the town in history; 

18 (6) the Quindaro Townsite maintains a high 

19 level of archaeological integrity, with the potential 

20 for additional discoveries at the townsite in the fu21 ture; 

22 (7) local government, private entities, and indi23 vidual stakeholders in the area have invested time 

24 and resources to further the preservation of the 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 5878 IH

1 physical remains of the town and the historical and 

2 cultural legacy of the town; and 

3 (8) the Quindaro Townsite fits the require4 ments for National Historic Landmark designation 

5 of— 

6 (A) possessing exceptional value in illus7 trating the history of the United States; and 

8 (B) providing the potential to yield new in9 formation about the history of the United 

10 States. 

11 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

12 In this Act: 

13 (1) LANDMARK.—The term ‘‘Landmark’’ means 

14 the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark 

15 designated by section 4(a). 

16 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

17 the Secretary of the Interior. 

18 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

19 of Kansas. 

20 SEC. 4. QUINDARO TOWNSITE NATIONAL HISTORIC LAND21 MARK. 

22 (a) DESIGNATION.—The Quindaro Townsite in Kan23 sas City, Kansas, as listed on the National Register of 

24 Historic Places, is designated as the ‘‘Quindaro Townsite 

25 National Historic Landmark’’. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 5878 IH

1 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta3 tion with the State, Kansas City, Kansas, and af4 fected subdivisions of the State, may enter into co5 operative agreements with appropriate public or pri6 vate entities, for the purposes of— 

7 (A) protecting historic resources at the 

8 Landmark; and 

9 (B) providing educational and interpretive 

10 facilities and programs at the Landmark for the 

11 public. 

12 (2) TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 

13 The Secretary may provide technical and financial 

14 assistance to any entity with which the Secretary 

15 has entered into a cooperative agreement under 

16 paragraph (1). 

17 (c) NO EFFECT ON ACTIONS OF PROPERTY OWN18 ERS.—Designation of the Quindaro Townsite as a Na19 tional Historic Landmark shall not prohibit any actions 

20 that may otherwise be taken by a property owner (includ21 ing any owner of the Landmark) with respect to the prop22 erty of the owner. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HR 5878 IH

1 (d) NO EFFECT ON ADMINISTRATION.—Nothing in 

2 this section affects the administration of the Landmark 

3 by Kansas City, Kansas, or the State. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB