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FFNHA & Private Property Rights

Freedom’s Frontier was designated as a National Heritage Area by Congress in 2006 to foster economic development and tourism in western Missouri and eastern Kansas. This regional, grassroots initiative covers a unique physical and cultural landscape across 41 counties and 31,000 square miles. FFNHA achieves its goals by partnering with local organizations that promote three diverse, interwoven, and nationally significant stories: frontier settlement; the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War; and enduring, fundamental questions about civil rights. We seek to bring together people interested in the region’s past, present, and future and work together toward mutual goals.

The FFNHA region includes 29 Kansas counties (Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clay, Coffey, Crawford, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Wilson, Woodson, and Wyandotte) and 12 counties in western Missouri (Barton, Bates, Buchanan, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platte, Ray, St. Clair, and Vernon).

What does National Heritage Area designation mean?

  • National recognition of the importance of our history and our region.
  • Co-branding with National Park Service. Placement on NPS National Heritage Area website and promotional materials.
  • Technical assistance and support from National Park Service.
  • Eligibility for matching funds through National Park Service.
  • FFNHA will continue working with willing partners on projects that benefit our region.

What does it NOT mean?

  • No new federal land.
  • No new zoning or regulations.
  • No change in land management for public or private land. FFNHA does not have any land management authority.
  • No impact on anyone who does not choose to participate. We work only with willing partners.

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.

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.

FREEDOM'S FRONTIER NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
P.O. BOX 526
LAWRENCE, KS 66044
785.856.5300
[email protected]
GALLERY HOURS: BY APPT. TUES - FRI, 9AM - 4PM
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PROPERTY RIGHTS

You may not be “opted in” without your explicit written permission -- no site is a member unless they request it. Our borderline only shows which counties are eligible to have historic sites join.

OUR BEGINNING

President George W. Bush approved Freedom’s Frontier in 2006. Which was built in tandem with the agricultural community almost twenty years ago. A small group of Kansans came together to create a way to honor our role in the Civil War, and to be sure our children know Kansas’ history. 

Volunteers worked closely with Senator Pat Roberts’ office, Governor Mike Hayden. You can imagine how careful they were to protect farmers, ranchers, landowners, hunting rights and fishing rights. 

Today, we have existed for almost 20 years. We have no relationship with any 30×30 program or planning which is much more recent. 

Think of us as a network of museums and historical sites – like pinpoints on the map.

President Ronald Reagan created National Heritage Areas to preserve history and generate tourism without invading private property rights.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

Since we began, federal law forbids Freedom’s Frontier from: 

  • Owning property 
  • Interfering with land rights, water rights or zoning of any kind 
  • Inhibiting hunting or fishing rights

By law, the choice to join the heritage area lies entirely with the property owners. It is not possible to be “opted-in” without your permission.

  • Only property sites which are historically significant are a part of Freedom’s Frontier. 
  • Property owners must request membership through a formal application process.
  • If a property owner has not applied for membership, their property is NOT a part of the heritage area. 
  • There is no way a property may be opted-in without the property owner’s explicit permission. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Freedom’s Frontier only receives federal funds, philanthropic gifts, and grant funding. For every dollar invested in a heritage area, $5 is generated in the local economy. Our sites are advertised across the nation at National Parks and other heritage areas. This helps to drive increasing numbers of tourists. 

ENDANGERED SPECIES

We have had several questions regarding endangered species. We have no programs in this area – except our pollination effort. We have partnered with Rotary International to encourage pollination efforts at all our sites. This is similar to the efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to foster bees and butterflies.

OUR BEGINNING 

President Ronald Reagan created National Heritage Areas to preserve history and generate tourism without invading private property rights. (Use as caption under Reagan photo) President George W. Bush approved Freedom’s Frontier in 2006. Which was built in tandem with the agricultural community almost twenty years ago. A small group of Kansans came together to create a way to honor our role in the Civil War, and to be sure our children know Kansas’ history. 

Volunteers worked closely with Senator Pat Roberts’ office, Governor Mike Hayden. You can imagine how careful they were to protect farmers, ranchers, landowners, hunting rights and fishing rights. 

Today, we have existed for almost 20 years. We have no relationship with any 30×30 program or planning which is much more recent. 

Think of us as a network of museums and historical sites – like pinpoints on the map.

PROPERTY RIGHTS 

Since we began, federal law forbids Freedom’s Frontier from: 

  • Owning property 
  • Interfering with land rights, water rights or zoning of any kind 
  • Inhibiting hunting or fishing rights

By law, the choice to join the heritage area lies entirely with the property owners. It is not possible to be “opted-in” without your permission.

  • Only property sites which are historically significant are a part of Freedom’s Frontier. 
  • Property owners must request membership through a formal application process.
  • If a property owner has not applied for membership, their property is NOT a part of the heritage area. 
  • There is no way a property may be opted-in without the property owner’s explicit permission. 

You may not be “opted in” without your explicit written permission — no site is a member unless they request it. Our borderline only shows which counties are eligible to have historic sites join. (caption under the image of our region). 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Freedom’s Frontier only receives federal funds, philanthropic gifts, and grant funding. For every dollar invested in a heritage area, $5 is generated in the local economy. Our sites are advertised across the nation at National Parks and other heritage areas. This helps to drive increasing numbers of tourists. 

ENDANGERED SPECIES 

We have had several questions regarding endangered species. We have no programs in this area – except our pollination effort. We have partnered with Rotary International to encourage pollination efforts at all our sites. This is similar to the efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to foster bees and butterflies. 

There is an application process to become a part of Freedom’s Frontier, and the site/museum must be historically significant in order to be accepted as a part of the heritage area. Your property is not a part of Freedom's Frontier unless you apply to become a partner. We only accept partners that are public and historically significant.
There is an application process to become a part of Freedom’s Frontier, and the site/museum must be historically significant in order to be accepted as a part of the heritage area. Your property is not a part of Freedom's Frontier unless you apply to become a partner. We only accept partners that are public and historically significant.

WE PROTECT PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IN OUR AREA

We never interfere with private property.

We never purchase private property.

We never impose local zoning changes.

We never interfere with water rights.

We never restrict landowners’ rights.

National Heritage Areas do not affect private property rights within their designated areas, period.

Though NHAs are funded through the National Park Service, they are not National Park units. NPS does not assume ownership of land inside heritage areas or impose land use controls. NHAs are – and will always be – community-driven, based on cooperation. Participation in an NHA is entirely voluntary.

Legislation that authorizes National Heritage Areas includes specific language that guarantees that NHAs will protect private property rights. In fact, the National Heritage Area Act of 2022 states: “Nothing in this section…abridges any right of a public or private property owner, including the right to refrain from participating in any plan, project, program, or activity conducted within a National Heritage Area.”

Indeed, a review of NHAs by General Accounting Office directed by Congress was unable to find a single instance of an NHA directly affecting how private property can be used. Groups interviewed for the study included private property rights advocates such as the Heritage Foundation, the American Land Rights Association, and the Private Property Foundation of America.

Read our authorizing legislation. (Pub. L. 109-338, title II, subtitle E, §§264(i)(1), 266, Oct. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 1783.)

Read the National Heritage Area Act of 2022.

FFNHA Partner Locations_1
Freedom's Frontier is like a set of thumb tacks on a map – we are the thumb tacks, not the full area of the map. The “thumb tacks” are our historical site and museum partners. The land around the partner sites is not included in our heritage area.

Read our authorizing legislation. (Pub. L. 109-338, title II, subtitle E, §§264(i)(1), 266, Oct. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 1783.)

Read the National Heritage Area Act of 2022.