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.