FFNHA receives MHC grant

By Johnny Szlauderbach

NEWS — SEP 9, 2024

The Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) has awarded a generous grant of $10,415 to Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area to support the first print run of FFNHA’s new map brochure and visitors guide. The MHC is the only statewide agency in Missouri devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages. It has served as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities since 1971.

FFNHA’s map brochure is one of the primary tools the organization uses to advance its mission of building economic development and increasing awareness of the region’s historic significance, specifically the settlement of the frontier, the Kansas-Missouri Border War, and the enduring struggle for freedom. Since the map’s release in 2011, FFNHA has grown dramatically, more than doubling its partnerships with organizations throughout the region. The updated visitors guide will introduce an all-new layout, interactive features like QR codes, and up-to-date partner listings.

The new brochure will be available later this year at historic sites and tourism centers across FFNHA’s 41 counties. For more information about Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, visit freedomsfrontier.org. For more information about the grant program of the Missouri Humanities Council, call 314.781.9660 or 800.357.0909 or write to the MHC, 415 S 18th Street, Suite 100 St Louis, MO 63103-2269.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) builds awareness of struggles for freedom in western Missouri and eastern Kansas. Established by Congress in 2006, FFNHA covers a unique physical and cultural landscape across 41 counties and 31,000 square miles. It promotes three diverse, interwoven, and nationally significant stories: frontier settlement, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War, and enduring civil rights disputes. FFNHA inspires respect for multiple perspectives and empowers area residents to preserve and share these stories, achieving its goals through interpretation, preservation, conservation, and education for all residents and visitors. It is one of 62 federally recognized National Heritage Areas across the United States.