Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colonel Allensworth State Historic ParkCalifornia State Historic Park |
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The restored buildings in Allensworth rise from the San Joaquin Valley
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 Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
California State Historic Park Location in California
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
California State Historic Park Location in the United States
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| Location | Tulare County, California United States |
| Nearest city | Earlimart, California |
| Area | 3,715 acres (15.03 km2) |
| Established | 1973 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
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Allensworth Historic District
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| Built | 1908 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000263 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1972 |
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is a special state park in California, United States. It protects and shows off the town of Allensworth. This town was unique because it was the only one in California started, paid for, and run by African Americans.
The small farming town began in 1908. It was founded by Lt. Colonel Allen Allensworth and other important people like Professor William Payne, William Peck (a minister), John W. Palmer (a miner), and Harry A. Mitchell (a real estate agent). They wanted to create a place where African Americans could improve their lives and own property. Colonel Allensworth (1842–1914) was inspired by the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He hoped Allensworth would become a similar successful community in the West.
However, the town faced big problems, like the water table dropping. This meant there wasn't enough water, which led to the town's decline. Allensworth is now a small, quiet area in Tulare County.
The park is also an Amtrak train stop for the San Joaquin trains. But it's a special kind of stop, called a flag-stop, meaning the train only stops if you arrange it beforehand.
Contents
History of Allensworth
Starting a New Town
In 1908, Lt. Colonel Allen Allensworth, a veteran of the United States Army, had a dream. He teamed up with Professor William Payne, Rev. William Peck, John W. Palmer, and Harry A. Mitchell. Their goal was to build a town where African Americans could own land, learn, and live the "American Dream" freely.
They chose a spot in Tulare County that was about 800-acre (320 ha) large. It was near what is now Earlimart, California. This location was perfect because it had good soil, enough water, and was right next to a railroad line. Many African American families moved here. They were craftsmen, business owners, farmers, and retired military members.
By 1914, the land in Allensworth was worth a lot of money. The town was run by a group called the Allensworth Progressive Association. Both men and women held important jobs in the community.
Life and Business in Allensworth
Allensworth's economy was based on farming. Farmers grew crops like alfalfa, wheat, sugar beets, and cotton. They also raised animals such as dairy cattle, chickens, turkeys, and rabbits.
The town had many businesses and public buildings. There was a bakery, a drugstore, a barbershop, a church, a school, and a library. In 1913, a newspaper reported that Allensworth's businesses were making a lot of money each month.
In 1910, Joshua and Henrietta Singleton opened Singleton's General Store & Post Office. This store sold many different items. The Allensworth Hotel was opened by Clara and John Morris. It had eight rooms for guests.
Water Challenges
When Allensworth was founded in 1908, the area had plenty of water from wells. These wells tapped into a shallow water table. The town even had water pipes laid to homes, managed by the Allensworth Rural Water Company.
However, water problems started in 1912 and became very serious by 1914. The water levels in the ground began to drop across the whole area. Also, increasing problems with alkali salts in the water made it difficult to use. These water issues greatly hurt the community. As original families moved away, land values went down, and some homes became empty.
By the 1950s, Allensworth was struggling. Its water wells were contaminated with arsenic, making the water unsafe to drink. State health officials declared the water unusable. When the state bought the land to create the park, they paid the landowners "market value." Because these values were low, the state also helped families move to new places.
The Loss of Colonel Allensworth
In September 1914, a very sad event happened. Colonel Allensworth, after surviving three wars, was tragically killed. He was hit by a careless motorcyclist in Monrovia, California. The accident happened on a Sunday morning while he was on his way to preach at a church. He died within 24 hours without waking up. This news shocked people across the state.
Colonel Allensworth was loved and respected by many. He received a military funeral. Memorial services were held for him all over the country. His death was a huge blow to the Allensworth community. Even though Professor William Payne and Oscar Overr tried to lead the town, no one could truly replace the Colonel. Without his strong leadership, the community began to fall apart.
By 1920, many key figures, including William Payne and Colonel Allensworth's widow, Josephine Allensworth, had left. The number of residents continued to decrease during the Great Depression and World War II.
Becoming a State Historic Park
In 1968, a former resident named Cornelius "Ed" Pope, who worked for the California Department of Parks and Recreation, had an idea. He wrote a plan to restore Allensworth as a state historical site. In 1972, the "Allensworth Historic District" was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Finally, in 1974, Governor Ronald Reagan approved the plan. Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park was officially created in 1976. Ed Pope even returned to the area after he retired to help with the preservation efforts.
In October 2008, the park celebrated Allensworth's 100th anniversary. Today, events are held throughout the year to remember the park's important history.
Visiting the Park
The preserved townsite has nine restored buildings. These include a schoolhouse, a hotel, a general store, a library, and several homes. The park has a visitor center where you can watch a video called "The Spirit of Allensworth." You can also arrange tours in advance.
The park offers fifteen campsites that are open all year. They can be used for RVs or tents. Each campsite has a picnic table and a camp stove. There are also flush toilets nearby. The park has facilities for people with disabilities. You'll find grassy areas, trees, and shaded spots. A picnic area nearby is shaded by 75 large trees planted by the California Conservation Corps.
The park is about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Earlimart. You can find it on County Road J22, just west of [SR-43].
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Allensworth House
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First Baptist Church
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Allensworth Elementary School
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Allensworth Hotel
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Singleton's General Store & Post Office
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Dodson House and Restaurant; Blacksmith Area (right)
Allensworth Amtrak Station
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Allensworth State Historic Park
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Allensworth State Park station platform in 2012
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| Location | Palmer Avenue Allensworth, California |
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| Coordinates | 35°51′50″N 119°23′08″W / 35.8640°N 119.3856°W | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | BNSF Bakersfield Subdivision | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Disabled access | No | ||||||||||
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| Station code | CNL | ||||||||||
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The Allensworth or Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park train station is located just east of the historic park entrance. It's near the Central Valley Highway (SR-43). The station has only a platform and no shelter.
Amtrak's San Joaquin trains serve this station. These trains run seven times a day between Bakersfield and either Oakland or Sacramento. The station opened around 2001.
This station is a special "flag stop." This means the train will only stop if passengers have tickets to or from this station. You need to arrange this in advance, usually several weeks ahead, especially for groups of 20 or more people. Because of this, it doesn't appear on many of Amtrak's regular station lists.
Local Environment
The land around Allensworth looks like most of the southern San Joaquin Valley. It's mostly flat, with very little change in height. Over time, the ground has sunk a bit. This is likely because too much groundwater was pumped out for farming in the past.
The climate in the Central Valley is generally warm and dry. Summers are hot, and winters are mild. Most of the rain falls from October to April. Winter temperatures can drop below freezing, causing frost, but snow is very rare. In summer, temperatures often go above 100 °F (38 °C).
Before the 1900s, when water was diverted for farming, the valley had seasonal lakes and temporary ponds called vernal pools. You might sometimes see Burrowing owls in the park. These owls are active during the day.
Just north of Allensworth is the 6,389-acre (2,586 ha) Pixley National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Next to the town is the Allensworth Ecological Reserve. The endangered San Joaquin kit fox can be found in this area.
In 2007, California passed a law to create a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) dairy-free zone around the park. This was to prevent new dairies from being built too close. Environmental groups were concerned that dairies would bring flies and bad smells. These could negatively affect the wildlife refuge, the ecological reserve, and the historic park.
Old Railroad Boxcars
Two rare railroad boxcars from the 1800s are on display at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. People believe these boxcars were once homes for the station agent in Allensworth.
The California State Railroad Museum restored these old boxcars. In 2002, California State Parks hired the museum to preserve and restore them. The wheels and axles were removed from these cars after 1900. Today, these boxcars are very rare examples of early freight cars. One of the cars on display is labeled G.C. & S.F. #1332 (Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe).
