Over by Faultless Starch in the West Bottoms, at the present-day terminus of that area's section of the Riverfront Heritage Trail, is a sculpture garden telling the story of slaves escaping across the Missouri River to Quindaro.
I'm sure the escape came with a certain let-down factor. Kansas was a 'free' state, but the Fugitive Slave Clause of the Constitution allowed for them to be hunted down and returned as far as I know—so I wouldn't be surprised if it was often a mistake to get too comfy just over the river in Quindaro. I'm sure that 'freedom' was far from equal, too.
One of the narratives made a reference to having a wedding by Big Eleven Lake, 'just south of town.' Before this area developed, Quindaro was a separate entity from the Town of Kansas/Kansas City. Big Eleven Lake* would indeed by 'south of town' if you thought of the town as Quindaro.
*Word to the wise: don't swim Big Eleven Lake. It is only a body of water if you count broken beer bottles, discarded firearms and bacteria as 'water.' If you come into contact with Big Eleven, at least make sure you have some Immodium in the house.
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