In August 1908 Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other settlers established a town founded, financed and governed by African Americans. Their dream of developing an abundant and thriving community stemmed directly from a strong belief in programs that allowed blacks to help themselves create better lives. By 1910 Allensworth’s success was the focus of many national newspaper articles praising the
town and its inhabitants. An unavoidable set of circumstances made it impossible for the residents of this tiny town located 30 miles north of Bakersfield to achieve their founders’ dreams over the long term. But the town did remain home to a handful of families and individuals throughout the 20th century, and true to the courage and resolve of its founders, the town has survived and persevered, earning the well-deserved title “The town that refused to die.”
In 1974, California State Parks purchased land within the historical townsite of Allensworth, and it became Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. Today, a collection of restored and reconstructed early 20th-century buildings—including the Allensworth’s house, historic schoolhouse, Baptist church, and library—once again dots this rural farm country, giving new life to the dreams of these visionary pioneers.
