Of all the ghost towns in Missouri and surrounding states, few have the history of this one near Kansas City. It was a vital part of the underground railroad and it's actually making something of a comeback.

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I saw the Quindaro Townsite mentioned on the Missouri sub-Reddit in a conversation about abandoned ghost towns. The Wikipedia page documents the rich history that includes its use during the Civil War era as a stop along the underground railroad where many sought freedom. Here are some crucial historic details:

After the Kansas–Nebraska Act was passed in 1854, a western branch of the Underground Railroad was developed in Kansas. Quindaro was linked to this and the Lane Trail. It provided a new route of escape for slaves from Missouri.

What's compelling to me is that Quindaro Townsite is making a comeback as preservationists are in the process of supporting and restoring many of the dozens of buildings that remain there.

The buildings at the Quindaro Townsite are almost being reborn thanks to a large number of volunteers who have a passion to preserve this rich history. There's no word as of now if this area will be made into a museum or site that can be freely visited, but the effort is already underway as recently as last summer to make sure the structures are maintained.

Wikipedia says the peak population of Quindaro Townsite reached 600 in the early 1900's, but was eventually incorporated into Kansas City. It remains history in our midst and hopefully will be reborn in the near future.

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