The city of Fairway is managing the Shawnee Indian Mission for another decade, with explicit promises to continue working with Native American tribes whose own histories are bound up in one of Kansas’s most historic sites.
On Monday, the Fairway City Council unanimously approved a 10-year management agreement with the Shawnee Indian Mission Foundation and the Kansas State Historic Society for the site that sits just off Shawnee Mission Parkway at 3403 W. 53rd St.
The responsibilities outlined in the new agreement are largely the same as previous, separate agreements the city had with the other entities, according to city documents.
The new combined agreement states a shared vision for the Shawnee Indian Mission and acknowledges the need for “further establishing meaningful relationships with Native American Tribes” with ties to the land.
This agreement comes about a year after the controversy over the ownership of the Shawnee Indian Mission was last in the legislative spotlight.
The agreement’s start date is Jan. 1 of this year, and it ends June 30, 2034.
The 10-year agreement projects reinterpretation of site
Back in 2016, the city entered separate agreements with the foundation and the historic society to manage the daily operations of the Shawnee Indian Mission. This decision came after state budget cuts reduced hours of operation and resources at the site.
On Monday, the city council approved combining all three parties under one agreement that outlines the responsibilities of each party as well as a shared vision for the site.
Below are some responsibilities of each party as outlined in the January 2025 approved agreement:
- The city will continue to manage and cover the expenses of daily operations of the site, including routine grounds maintenance (like mowing the grass), programming, volunteer management and staffing.
- The historical society is in charge of paying for more significant maintenance projects, such as roof replacement, funding and overseeing preservation issues, major damage repair, and creating and maintaining exhibits at the site.
- The foundation will continue to raise funds for the site and contribute at least $80,000 annually to offset city expenses incurred by daily operations of the site.
The agreement also states that this trio will work together to reinterpret the site within the next three to five years. The historic society is charged with leading the reinterpretation effort and is to work collaboratively with other stakeholders such as “native tribes, with bona fide connections to the site,” according to the agreement.
Additionally, the agreement states that the Shawnee Indian Mission must retain its place on the National Register of Historic Places and its status as a National Historic Landmark.
The agreement can be viewed in its entirety in the document below, starting on page 130.
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Open in new tab New agreement aims to reach ‘shared goal’ of sharing history
Councilmember Jenna Brofsky said she appreciated section 11 of the agreement, which outlines the city, foundation and state’s vision for the Shawnee Indian Mission.
The stated vision in section 11 is to create “a vibrant hub of education, inspiration and community engagement.”
The section also states that, for the vision to come to life, the three parties know meaningful relationships must be established with Native American tribes whose ancestors lived on the land for centuries and attended the manual labor school.
Mayor Melanie Hepperly said she believes combining the three entities into one agreement will help the trio’s shared vision for the site “come to fruition.”
“I think this agreement for all three of the entities will increase greatly our ability to reach our goal of providing a facility that will share the story of all the tribes that want to share their story,” Hepperly said.
Next steps:
- Monday’s unanimous approval of the agreement allows Hepperly to sign it.
- As of Monday, the city attorney and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office needed to complete a final legal review, which is anticipated to result in only minor changes, according to city documents.
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