Rediscovering Allensworth: How California’s Forgotten African American Town is Reclaiming its Place in History

At first glance, the area looks barren. Desolate. Out in the middle of nowhere. It is extremely hot during the summer, just above freezing during winter.

The pioneers who established the town of Allensworth were looking for a place for Black families to live and prosper without fear from the oppression they faced in the South. In short, to live the American dream of freedom. They found it in this part of Central California.

You’ve heard of all-Black towns such as Greenwood, Oklahoma (also known as The Black Wall Street); Eatonville, Florida; Brooklyn, Illinois; Highland Beach, Maryland; and Dearfield, Colorado. That list includes the town of Allensworth, the first and only town in California entirely founded, designed, funded, built, and governed by African Americans.

The history of Allensworth goes much deeper than being the first town in California founded by African Americans. It represents the strength and resilience of an African American community during a time of segregation and discrimination. It is a living monument to the vision of its founders. Let’s step back in time to learn about Colonel Allensworth, discover the fascinating history of the town that bears his name, and explore the unforgettable legacy of a town that continues to inspire.

Who Was Allen Allensworth?

Allen Allensworth was born on April 7, 1842, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the youngest of 13 children born to Levi and Phyllis Allensworth. Enslaved from birth, he was the property of A.P. and Bett Starbird. When he was old enough, he was assigned to the Starbird’s son, Thomas, as his personal slave. Allen was named after Bishop Richard Allen, one of the founders of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

Phyliss Allensworth knew the value of education, a process that was denied Blacks in Kentucky — and in the Southern states in general. Yet she was intuitive, intelligent, and determined enough to find a way to somehow get schooling for her son. She told young Allen, “My son, Miss Bett is sending Little Marse (Little Master) Tommy to school to get a learning. Now, my son, what is good for Little Marse Tommy is good for you. Your mother can’t send you to no school where you can learn to read and write and figure, so must ask your Marse Tom to play school with you every day when he comes home; then you can learn to read and write like him.” Allen was cautioned by his mother not to let Thomas know anything about her plan.

As a youth, Allensworth attempted to escape a couple of times, but was caught and punished. That did not deter him. Though a few people showed him kindness by teaching him to read and write, he was sent away, sold many times, treated harshly, and even whipped when it was discovered he was being taught to read and write. The Civil War presented his chance to successfully flee enslavement by disguising himself as a Union soldier. He eventually became an actual Union soldier.

The abuse Allensworth suffered as a youth did not dampen his desire for a good education. He attended college at Roger Williams University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1877, Allensworth married Josephine Leavell, whom he met at Roger Williams University. They had two daughters, Eva and Nella.

As he matured, Allensworth began following and promoting the teachings of Booker T. Washington, acceding to his philosophy of Black self-sufficiency. He went on to get his Doctor of Theology degree from the same university as Washington.

Allensworth’s life became a multi-faceted one as he rapidly developed into a sought-after lecturer, teacher, and educator. That background, combined with his foundation in ministry, led to a growing interest in politics. The result was his selection as the first and only Black person to serve as a delegate from Kentucky in the Republican National Convention in both 1880 and 1884. One of his quotes from this period was, “It is a mistake for your committee to ignore the services of a number of serviceable Colored speakers from the South.” He posed this question to the Republican National Committee: “Can I be of any service to your committee as a speaker driving the campaign?”

Word of Allensworth’s abilities spread. At the age of 44, he was appointed by President Grover Cleveland to the rank of chaplain to the 24^th Infantry Regiment, one of the four Black Army regiments collectively known as the Buffalo Soldiers. He had previously petitioned President Cleveland for the post because there were no Black chaplains for the Black units in the Army at the time.

Under Allensworth’s command, the 24^th so changed the hearts and minds of the Utah residents around Fort Douglas during their time there that, at his prompting, a newspaper re-examined a negative article it had published a year earlier. The subsequent article declared, “[They] are now appreciated at their worth, as citizens and soldiers above reproach.”

His influence continued when his regiment was transferred to Fort Bayard, New Mexico. Citing a need for education for the soldiers of the 24^th and their families, Allensworth authored a pamphlet entitled Outline of Course of Study, and the Rules Governing Post Schools of Ft. Bayard, N.M. while stationed at Fort Bayard. The publication was later adopted by the Army as a standard manual for educating enlisted men, as was the program on which it was based.

By the time he retired in 1906, Allensworth had risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel, the first African American to achieve that status, and at the time, the highest-ranking African American man in the US military.

Just two years after his retirement, he and four other men founded the town of Allensworth in Tulare County, California.

Colonel Allensworth moved to Los Angeles and became the first pastor of Second Baptist Church in Monrovia, California, about 165 miles south of Allensworth. He split his time between the town of Allensworth and Los Angeles.

Colonel Allensworth wore many hats during his lifetime. At various times he was a minister, educator, politician, Buffalo Soldier, serviceman in both the Army and Navy, jockey, restauranteur, speaker, and publisher. (Though you may not find it in history books, Allensworth was also a photographer, something this writer learned from one of the docents while touring Colonel and Josephine Allensworth’s house.) Most famously, he was co-founder of the town that bears his name.

One of his most well-known quotes is, “Create sentiment favorable to intellectual and industrial liberty,” a saying he followed when he later founded the town. Another of his memorable quotes: “All the laws against us are merely public opinion in legal forms.”

Colonel Allensworth died on September 14, 1914, at the age of 72, one day after being struck in broad daylight by two men on a motorcycle. This happened as he was getting off a streetcar in Monrovia, not far from his church, ironically while on his way there to give a speech. A memorial to Colonel Allensworth stands outside Second Baptist Church in Monrovia.

The History of the Town of Allensworth

When searching for a suitable place to create a colony, the founders considered purchasing land in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. They ultimately settled on a location in Tulare County.

On June 30, 1908, co-founders Professor William Payne, Dr. William H. Peck, Harry Mitchell, and J.W. Palmer, along with Colonel Allensworth, created the California Colony and Home Promotion Association. Paperwork for a township plan was filed on August 3, 1908, thus establishing the colony that became California’s first Black community, the first and only town in California “founded, built, governed, and populated entirely by African Americans.” The town was initially called Solita (later Solito) after its railroad stop. Later that year, the town founders decided to change the name of the town to Allensworth in honor of the colonel.

The mission when establishing Allensworth was to “provide education, economic, and political opportunities for African Americans in California.” Payne and Allensworth “believed that the disappointing status of the race nearly half a century after emancipation was due to circumstances rather than color.” In addition, based on what he saw while serving with the Buffalo Soldiers, Colonel Allensworth wanted to provide a place where soldiers in America’s all-Black regiments could live.

Influenced by his experiences as a youth, Colonel Allensworth stressed the importance of education, a central tenet followed by the townspeople. The streets in Allensworth were named after prominent abolitionists and distinguished African Americans like Sojourner Truth, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Colonel Allensworth also intended the township to be the location for a technical school, a “Tuskegee of the West.” In a letter to Booker T. Washington, he wrote that Allensworth would be a place where Black people “would settle upon the bare desert and cause it to blossom as a rose.” Regrettably, that idea of a Tuskegee of the West was shut down when a bill to establish the institution fell in a vote by the legislature, ironically due to Blacks in San Francisco and Los Angeles fiercely opposing it.

At the time, the site where Allensworth was to be established was a place of abundant water and fertile soil. The town grew quickly in these favorable agricultural conditions. Businesses that sprang up included a hotel, blacksmith shop, livery, bakery, general store, drug store, dairy, animal and agricultural farming, barber shop, and a carpentry shop, among others. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe (AT&SF) rail stop being across the street from the town was a big and important factor in the town’s initial success. Allensworth became self-sufficient almost from the start.

Colonel Allensworth’s own home in the township was built as a kit home, shipped in by rail and assembled there in Allensworth. His home is furnished today as it would have been when Colonel and Mrs. Allensworth lived there circa 1912.

Allensworth attracted many people, some of them even buying property sight unseen. The town brought in $4,000 to $5,000 a month; nearly $160,000 in today’s dollars. The population grew to a few hundred. It could be said that Allensworth was a land of promise. And for a while, it fulfilled that promise.

What Happened to the Town of Allensworth?

Allensworth looked to be on track to continue flourishing, boasting a population of nearly 300 residents by the 1920s. What soon followed was a cascading multitude of misfortunes, one right after the other, nearly decimating the town.

There are a few explanations as to what happened to the once-thriving township. What is clear is that Allensworth needed to drill more water wells to support its growth. And Pacific Farming Company, the company that was supposed to provide those wells, didn’t deliver them as promised. That, coupled with the expansion of the nearby town of Alpaugh resulted in a severe drop in the water table, to the point where there was no longer enough water for irrigation or other purposes.

In 1914, the AT&SF railroad, which refused to hire Allensworth residents for anything other than menial jobs, intentionally bypassed Allensworth when they added a spur for nearby Alpaugh, about 7 miles away. This action effectively deprived Allensworth of a vital means of transportation to get people and goods to and from the town.

The town suffered a horrific loss when Colonel Allensworth was killed in 1914 while on his way to give a lecture. Allensworth’s death was a serious blow to the community. Josephine Allensworth eventually left and moved to Los Angeles. Town co-founder William Payne left too, settling nearly 400 miles away in El Centro, California.

The following year, 1915, Colonel Allensworth’s dream of a “Tuskegee of the West” was dashed when a bill to establish such an organization was defeated in the legislature. It is possible that had Colonel Allensworth still been alive and able to access the political connections he had cultivated, the bill might have passed.

Then a drought started in 1917. That was followed by The Great Depression beginning in 1929. Young people, after graduating from schools in other towns and cities, did not return to Allensworth. When WWII began, even more residents left for jobs in support of the war effort.

As if all that was not enough, in the mid-60’s, naturally-occurring arsenic was found in the water in and around Tulare County, where Allensworth and Alpaugh are located. Only a handful of residents remained by then.

By the 1960s, buildings were in disrepair, some even collapsing. Others were torn down. Allensworth nearly resembled a ghost town, and had even dropped off of some maps. The park’s brochure notes that Allensworth was actually scheduled for demolition in 1966. Thankfully, the story of Allensworth does not end there.

Allensworth Today – Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

Efforts to create a historic site at Allensworth began in 1969 by former resident Cornelius “Ed” Pope. He started a campaign to create a state historic site at Allensworth after realizing that California had no state parks dedicated to the history of African Americans in California. In 1974, as a result of lobbying by Pope and others, the California Department of Parks and Recreation purchased land on the original site. Plans for a park were approved on May 14, 1976. The dedication ceremony for Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park was held on October 9^th of that year. A re-dedication ceremony is held at Allensworth every year on the second Saturday in October.

Allensworth is the first historic park in the state to “recognize the contributions of African American pioneers to the development of California.” A letter from the California Natural Resources Agency Department of Parks and Recreation posted at the entrance to the park states California State Parks is “committed to the town’s renaissance as a living example of the American spirit.”

Seeing the condition of the town and knowing its history, several people, including some former residents, have moved back into Allensworth. They have joined local school, community, and water boards to help safeguard the town. They’ve even fought off attempts to build two huge dairy farms, and a sludge treatment plant that were planned to be built just across the highway from the community.

Today Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is open year-round. About 22 structures (link downloads a pdf file) spread over 240 acres dot the park, including the library, hotel, Baptist church, general store, an AT&SF boxcar made into a railroad station master’s office, blacksmith shed, livery/carriage shed, elementary school, and Colonel and Mrs. Allensworth’s house. Most of the buildings in the park are restored or reconstructed to resemble how they looked in the early days of the colony. Signs and placards in front of the structures provide information about their significance.

During most of the year, nearly all of the buildings are closed except the Visitors Center. However, on special event days, many of the buildings are open. Some of the original documents concerning Colonel Allensworth and the town itself are on display inside a few of the buildings. The park has a YouTube channel, @ColonelAllensworth, featuring videos that take you inside some of the buildings that are normally off-limits to visitors.

There are several ways to explore Allensworth: You can take a self-guided Cell Phone Audio Tour. The park just released a new, free Virtual Adventurer app that allows you to take an interactive virtual reality tour of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. Guided tours are available but must be scheduled with the park office at least three days in advance.

The park also has a school program and provides school tours. Arrange these tours with the park office by calling (661) 849-3433. For teachers who would like to teach their students about Allensworth but cannot brings their classes in person, there is a free virtual program called PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students) that has a module for Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

The Future of Allensworth, The Town That Refused to Die

Allensworth now sees over 70,000 visitors each year. The majority of these are first-time visitors. Rev. C.E. Washington, Vice President of the Friends of Allensworth, says they are looking for people to become docents to interact with the visitors. He would especially like to see Black docents volunteer at the park, however all are welcome to apply.

Reverend Washington says he would like to have more concerts at the park, and a more year-round slate of events. He would love to have the youth to become educated about and interested in Allensworth. Speaking of the youth, Reverend Washington adds that the youth are encouraged to become part of the Allensworth legacy. They can do this by contacting the Friends of Allensworth. People of all ages, not just the youth, are urged to get involved.

That is just the park. About 500 residents still live in the area, though the population today is mostly Mexican-American. The water problems continue as they have for more than a century. So does the fight to secure Allensworth’s future. But those who live there somehow make a way.

In another sign that the town of Allensworth is experiencing re-birth, the Allensworth Hamlet Plan 2017 (link downloads a pdf file) was prepared by the Allensworth Progressive Association to “accurately reflect the needs and priorities of this community.” The plan takes into account infrastructure, utilities, transportation, and stimulation of economic growth.

California’s 2022-23 budget provides some $40 million in funding for the revitalization of Allensworth, including $28 million for a new visitor center, which Senators Melissa Hurtado and Steven Bradford helped to secure. The remainder of the funds will go to build a community center and an organic farm. The move solidly recognizes Colonel Allensworth’s vision, confirms that California’s forgotten African American town is reclaiming its place in history, and guarantees “the town that refused to die” will be around for generations to come.

Facts About the Town of Allensworth

• First town in California to be established, designed, financed, built, and governed by African Americans
• Just two years after its founding, newspapers across the country began running features about the town, its people, and its accomplishments. The Los Angeles Times called Allensworth “an ideal Negro settlement.”
• The library was originally in the one-room schoolhouse until the two-room schoolhouse was built. The Mary Dickerson Memorial Library was named for Josephine Allensworth’s mother and became a branch of the Tulare County Free Library system
• Allensworth had its own post office
• The Allensworth voting precinct was established in 1912
• Allensworth had its own judicial district. William Dotson was elected constable. Oscar Overr  was elected Justice of the Peace, the first African American in California to hold that position. Of Allensworth, he says, “It has passed the experimental and pioneering [stages], and while it is still in its infancy, for many reasons it is the best proposition ever offered to Negroes in the state.”
• The Allensworth schoolhouse was built entirely with funds donated by residents of the town at a cost of $5,000. It shows the importance residents of Allensworth placed on education. It was one of the most significant buildings in the township, and was a great source of pride among the residents. One of the guiding principles of town co-founder Professor William Payne was, “Get an education and opportunity will come.” (Payne was the school’s first teacher and its first principal.) The school had two rooms and held students from elementary through high school. It remained in operation until it closed in 1972
• Allensworth was its own school district. Established in 1910 and encompassing some 33 square miles, it was the first school district in California established by African Americans. The school district still exists
• Milner’s Barber Shop is the only cement block structure building in Allensworth. The theater club, debate club, glee club, orchestra, and other organizations met in the Barber Shop
• Among its agricultural endeavors, the town of Allensworth cultivated sugar beets, cotton, alfalfa, and grain. Residents raised poultry, dairy cattle, and rabbits
• The town of Allensworth has been called “The town that refused to die”

Annual Special Events

The best time to explore Allensworth is during one of the annual special event days. On these special event days you can take a carriage ride, talk to the docents about the history of the residents and the township itself, and many of the buildings are open for you to tour. The events are usually held around the same time each year. The 2024 schedule looks like this:

Black History Month Celebration

Saturday February 10, 2024 from 10:00am–4:00pm. “Join the Friends of Allensworth and California State Parks as we continue to preserve the history of Allensworth. Visitors are welcome to interact with docents dressed in period attire, participate in guided and/or self-paced tours of the park’s historic buildings, and enjoy live entertainment, music, and food.” (Usually held the second Saturday in February.)

Allensworth May Festival
Saturday May 18, 2024 from 10:00am–4:00pm. “This Friends of Allensworth event provides a great family festival atmosphere with education, entertainment, music, food and special activities for children.” (Usually held the third Saturday in May.)  Pro Tip: Though this is one of the four major events at Allensworth, it is usually a bit less crowded.

Juneteenth Celebration
June 8, 2024 from 10:00am–4:00pm. “Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. It was on June 19, 1865, that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that all slaves were now free. The public is invited to enjoy entertainment, speakers, and of course free tours of the historic house museums by park docents and staff.” (Usually held the second Saturday in June.)

Annual Rededication
October 12, 2024 from 10:00am–4:00pm. “The Annual Rededication is presented to renew the commitment of the citizens of California to help the Department of Parks and Recreation preserve the history of the ethnically diverse history of California.” (Usually held the second Saturday in October.)

Other events held at the park include the Colonel Allensworth 5K Run/Walk for Health. Proceeds from the event help make several of the park’s programs possible. In the past, the Colonel Allensworth Century and Fun Ride cycling event was held at the park. (Read my interview with Thomas Ward, organizer of the Colonel Allensworth Century and Fun Ride.)

After you tour the park and enjoy the entertainment at the annual events, take a walk to the outer areas of the park. Look around. Let it sink in that you are out in the middle of nowhere. You’ll wonder why anyone would choose this spot to settle in, let alone establish a town. But there used to be a rail stop, good soil, and plentiful water. And a town called Allensworth blossomed there.

Getting There

Where is Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park? Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is in the town of Earlimart off Hwy 43, about 40 miles northwest of Bakersfield, California, and 70 miles south of Fresno. The park is three hours south of San Francisco, three hours north of Los Angeles.

The closest major highway to Allensworth is US-99. For specific directions to Allensworth, visit the park’s website. Parking is free except during special event days. There are no hotels nearby but there is a campground within the park. There is a fee for camping.

You can take Amtrak to Allensworth. Riding the train to the park provides a way to experience the journey to Allensworth much like the original residents of the colony did. Amtrak’s Kids ‘n’ Trains program offers reduced rates for schools and youth groups visiting Allensworth by train.

Pro Tips

• The Allensworth station/depot is listed on Amtrak’s website as CNL, but because it is a special stop, it will not display any trains or times. If you are planning a trip on Amtrak, it is highly recommended to contact them or the Friends of Allensworth. Amtrak is currently only stopping at the Allensworth (CNL) station for the Juneteenth and October Rededication events, but special arrangements can be made for large groups outside of those dates
• Summers at the park can get quite hot with temperatures occasionally topping 100 degrees. Winters have seen temperatures occasionally drop below freezing. Dressing in layers is recommended
• The park is spread out. Plan on doing a fair amount of walking if you want to see everything. It is a good idea to bring comfortable walking shoes. Bicycles are permitted. You can wait for one of the special events and take advantage of the shuttle that runs through the park. The horse-drawn carriage at the special events gives you the opportunity to ride around the park in style
• Either bring your own water, or purchase water from a vendor or the Visitor Center. Naturally-occurring arsenic is present in Tulare County’s water supply. Levels have fluctuated between safe and unsafe since even before Alpaugh and Allensworth were founded. Though it may be ok to drink water from the other faucets at the park during your visit, it is best not to

Photo credits: Allen Allensworth – Public domain, via Wikipedia Commons

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