Quindaro: A Wyandot Indian word meaning, "a bundle of sticks," interpreted as "in union there is strength." Quindaro, Kansas was named after Nancy Brown Guthrie, whose Indian name was Quindaro.
Kansas became a territory of the United States in 1854. The planning of the town of Quindaro began at least by 1856. By January of 1857 the construction of buildings had begun at the town site.
Two of the reasons why the area which would become Quindaro was selected for a town is that it was a good location for steamboats to dock and the abolitionists living in the area were already assisting slaves to escape on the underground railroad.
Quindaro, located on the Missouri River, began as a boom town. It had a short life as a busy city for two years. However, while the original town site began to deteriorate, some of the original inhabitants of the area remained as farmers. Also, a new group of people, mostly of African descent, claimed the farms and buildings which had been abandoned. The area's population grew again, but not on the site on which the original town was built.
Quindaro is now a part of Kansas City, Kansas. But there are still people today who proudly say, "I was born in Quindaro, Kansas" or, "I live in Quindaro, Kansas." So the name Quindaro, "in union there is strength," and the abolitionist town on the underground railroad are still remembered today.
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