Nicodemus National Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nicodemus National Historic Site |
|
|---|---|
 Nicodemus National Historic Site
Location in Kansas
Nicodemus National Historic Site
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Nicodemus, Kansas, United States |
| Nearest city | Nicodemus, Kansas |
| Area | 161 acres (65 ha) |
| Established | November 12, 1996 |
| Visitors | 28,065 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Nicodemus National Historic Site |
The Nicodemus National Historic Site is in Nicodemus, Kansas, Kansas, United States. It protects and shares the story of the only remaining western town started by African Americans after the American Civil War. This time was known as the Reconstruction Period.
The town of Nicodemus shows the brave spirit of African Americans. They left their homes to find freedom and new chances. The site was partly named after a legendary slave from a song called "Wake, Nicodemus (1864)." This song tells a magical story of an old slave who wanted to be woken up on the "Day of Jubilee."
The historic site has five important buildings:
- Township Hall (which now has a temporary visitor center)
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- First Baptist Church
- St. Francis Hotel
- Nicodemus School District #1 Schoolhouse
Contents
The Founding of Nicodemus
Nicodemus was started in 1877. A black minister named Rev. W.H. Smith and a white land developer named W.R. Hill led the effort. They, along with five other black men, formed the Nicodemus Town Company.
They visited churches in Kentucky to encourage people to move to Kansas. Kansas was a free state. It was also part of the Underground Railroad and home to John Brown, who fought against slavery. The company handed out flyers. These flyers called Nicodemus a place where "African Americans could create their own self-government."
Life in a Growing Town
By the mid-1880s, Nicodemus was a busy little town. It had two newspapers and three general stores. There were also at least three churches. The town had small hotels, an ice cream parlor, a bank, and many homes. At its busiest time, about 700 people lived there.
For the town to keep growing, it needed a railroad. The people of Nicodemus tried many times to get a railroad company to build a line to their town. But their efforts did not work. The railroad ended up going south of Nicodemus. Over time, many people moved closer to the railway. They started a new town called Bogue. Today, Bogue has about 173 people.
Famous People from Nicodemus
One of Nicodemus's most famous residents is Veryl Switzer. Switzer was an All-American football player for Kansas State. He played in 1951, 1952, and 1953.
He then played two seasons for the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. After that, he served in the U.S. Air Force. He returned to play for the Packers after 2½ years. Later, he played for the Calgary Stampeders and the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League before he retired.
Today, Switzer farms about 840 acres (3.4 km2) in Nicodemus. He is also a main investor in building a flour mill there. A co-op was formed in 1999. They sell "Promised Land Flour" and "Nicodemus Pancake Mix." However, the flour mill itself has not been built yet.
Protecting the Historic Site
The Nicodemus site is still home to some people whose families were among the first settlers. The United States Congress officially made it a National Historic Site in 1996.
Images for kids
-
St Francis Hotel
-
African Methodist Episcopal Church
-
Nicodemus Township School
-
First Baptist Church
-
Township Hall
Other Information
- The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers by Marci Penner, copyright 2005
- Associated Press report "Former football star returns to help save dying town," August, 2006.
