This is not a place you just stumble into, even if you know where it is! I'm glad I finally, after many years of dreaming, was able to spend an afternoon here on a recent road trip down 99. It is a place that seems so desolate, even though not far from towns and cities, and my first thought was "how was this a bustling city of hundreds of folks just one hundred years ago. Yet, when I took the time to visit the buildings - each and every one of them - I began to get the big picture and see what may have been, although much is missing. When I drove in, I was literally the only one in town. There were a few cars and trailers next door by the RV/camp area, past the old schoolhouse, but no one in the park proper. I started with the visitor center, which is a nondescript trailer next to elevated decks and tables, next to a green lawn - the only one you'll pretty much see here - and an amazing mound of various cacti! The center is simple, with a space and chairs for offerings, and exhibits to whet your appetite. Included are artifacts from the town, clothing from the era, and the medals worn by Colonel Allensworth. Seeing these in old black and white photos, then seeing them in person in living 3-D color, is moving. Before you visit, though, you MUST do your research about Col. Allensworth, his life and legacy, and the town in general. It's history is a needed basis for the time you will want to spend here. After the visitor center, I set off to visit each building, going counter-clockwise, starting with the "new" schoolhouse next to the visitor center. All the buildings here, outhouses exempted, have information placards about the structure, as well as codes for accessing on your phone audio presentations about the building and the people who lived and/or worked in that building. These really flesh out the life of the town, as you meet everyone from the founders, to the leaders, to the business folk and farmers, and blacksmiths and storekeepers, and librarians and constables, and all the others who called this area home. One thing that struck me, as I was reading and listening to these histories, was how many people moved here from other areas. Some came from Bakersfield and Fresno, rather close, but others came from Alameda and Oakland, up in my area, and not a quick trip in those days, as well as other popular Southern California towns. This tells me how strong this city of Allensworth was at its heyday, to draw people into the central valley to join in a common effort of life and success. Amazing stories, indeed. The buildings have been restored after decades of neglect and material theft, but they are close, if not exact, replicas. Each building can be walked up to, but is not open. However, you can, and should, walk around and look in any windows you can reach. The windows seem to have a covering that reflects the UV rays of the ever-present sun, so from a distance, there is no way to see inside. But when you get close and put your face to the window, most of the buildings offer an interior view of what that building likely looked like in the past. Some of my photos show these interiors. This is why you really need to visit each, if not most, of the buildings to get the most of what this place offers. I was blessed to encounter two California State Parks interpretive rangers who were about to film a presentation at Allensworth's home while I was there, and they graciously offered me a peek inside as they set up. What a moment, to stand in the Allensworth house and see what they called home for many years. I wish more places were accessible like this, but given the location and scarcity of folks here, for other than the two rangers and three park maintenance workers, it was empty, I can see why they need to keep the buildings safe. For me, the whole time spent here was several hours and a few miles walked. Be sure to wear sun protection, as there is very little shade left. I could chat all day about the park and what it offers, but there are many great online resources on its history, with good photos, maps, and other information to help you plan a visit here. I took about 150 photos, but have only offered a sampling here, again, to whet YOUR appetite for a visit! The park is a diamond among gems for me, not for what it is lacking, but for what it tries to share - a history hidden, and a place of dreams and hopes left to languish in the valley sun. History is not always exciting, or aesthetic, or comfortable, and my time here reminded me of how these settlers built a living city from barren, dry, hot soil. Indeed, a great reminder of why this park is important for what it offers - a small step back into the history of Allensworth and its townspeople. read more

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Free to enter for day use. Came during a holiday afternoon. There were a few cars around. You could also camp here. It was $20 without hookup and $30 with hookup. Seniors get $2 off a night. It's a state park so it's 50% off with the State Parks Disabled Discount Pass. The restroom was next to the Visitor's Center. The toilets were flushable. There were plenty of stalls and there was soap in the soap dispenser. The Visitor's Center was really small and unattended. We couldn't get into any other buildings. Really cool to learn about this amazing town. Overall, a really nice park with a history. read more

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I visited Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park on a recent drive from Northern California to Southern Nevada. For context: Allensworth, CA was the only California town founded, financed, and governed by Black Americans. I enjoyed touring the historic state park and comparing it to similar towns I've visited such as Idlewild (Michigan), Mound Bayou (Mississippi), Tulsa's Greenwood District (Oklahoma), and Harpers Ferry (West Virginia). During my midday visit on a Monday, I had the park completely to myself. There are bathrooms and a small visitor center on site, but the other buildings were all locked. Thankfully, one of the park rangers I encountered was kind enough to give me a guided tour of one of the reconstructed homes. That was a great addition to my overall tour. According to my family in Northern California, the park hosts festive events on Juneteenth and during Black History Month when the buildings are all open to the public, food is available for purchase, and there's local entertainment on site. In my opinion, the state park is a worthwhile detour anytime! read more

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Amazing living historical experience. Great park with or without the docents. Take the train from Bakersfield for a lovely outing.

Worth a visit! Well worth a visit! Black History! Wish we re-establish this town! So much untold history! read more

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Love the place and is so calm and friendly, we went to walk around and enjoyed the view read more

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I cannot recommend this enough. We went a bit out of the way to get here and it was absolutely worth it. Infuriating part of history, but one so worth knowing. Such a valuable memorialization of this community. I hope that it has the funding and support it needs to continue. PS - the bathrooms were pristine. read more

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Earlimart, California

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My family and I visited the state park this past weekend. We were able to book a guided tour with the park ranger, Sarah. She was very nice and knowledgeable. The park itself is very well maintained as is the campground. The history of Allensworth was very fascinating and worth learning. Sarah told us the park holds events and we definitely foresee ourselves visiting during one. I highly recommend the park & suggest making reservations to tour the old buildings. read more

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park - Colonel Allensworth home - Parks Near Me - Earlimart, California

You want a little bit of black history, this is your place. I've driven by the sign for years and never had the time to check it out. This time, I made time! It is such an interesting part of Californias history and preserved very well. I didn't know that you can also camp at the RV camp site as well. You can park your car and walk around or just drive and park near each building. It is a really cool place to learn more about history. I highly suggest that you stop if you have a chance! read more

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This unique State Historical Park is the only California town to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans, founded by Colonel Allen Allensworth and four others over one hundred years ago in this place about 30 miles north of Bakersfield. Some of the buildings have been reconstructed, although I believe some of them are original. Interestingly, there is a self-guided audio tour using your cellphone. When I arrived on Easter weekend, there were no rangers there, and I had to self-register, paying $6. Thankfully, the visitor's center was left open, so I looked in there for a while. The movie was not showing, which was unfortunate. It looks like they might give guided tours, which would be considerably more interesting as well. The rest of the buildings were locked up, so I had to be content with looking through the windows. I had the place to myself for about twenty minutes, after which more people showed up, riding bikes and looking around, but no one was camping in any of their fifteen campsites (which looked to have facilities including showers, shade structures, picnic tables, flush toilets, and fire rings, a pleasant looking campsite, it seems, for $20/night. The entire place looks to be wheelchair accessible, and there are signs posted everywhere telling about each structure. I would definitely recommend a visit as it is a fascinating part of our California history, and one has to admire the vision and tenacity of these early founders for creating such a strong community. read more

A lot of history here , learned about how enriching the black community was and thriving before political and economical factors preventing allensworth from growing. Recommend visiting any season besides summer . It was 102 when I went and man not all the places you walk to there have AC read more

Allensworth is the only California town to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans. The small farming community was founded in 1908 by Colonel Allen Allensworth and a group of others dedicated to improving the economic and social status of African Americans. Uncontrollable circumstances, including a drop in the area's water table, resulted in the town's demise. With continuing restoration and special events, the town is coming back to life as a state historic park. The park's visitor center features a film about the site. A yearly rededication ceremony reaffirms the vision of the pioneers. Seasons/Climate Recommended Clothing The Central Valley, is hot in summer and mild in winter. Rain falls from October through April. Winter temperatures below freezing can bring frost, but snow is rare. Summer temperatures above 100 degrees are part of the normal pattern. Visitor Center and Tours The park has a visitor center and tours are available by making arrangements with the park in advance. The visitor center features a video presentation, "The Spirit of Allensworth," which is available for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., any day of the week. The most important building, historically and in the memory of Allensworth pioneers, is the schoolhouse. It was in use until 1972 and is furnished as it would have been on a school day in 1915. An audio presentation is available on site. Audio presentations are also available at Grosse's Drug Store, and the Singleton General Store and Post Office. Also important to the education of Allensworth's citizens was the Mary Dickenson Memorial Library, about 200 yards north of the school. Colonel Allensworth's residence is furnished in the 1912 period. It contains items from the colonel's life in the service and the ministry. A small display of farm equipment is a reminder of the Allensworth economic base. Camping Fifteen campsites, open all year, will accommodate RVs or tents. Each site includes a picnic table and a camp stove; flush toilets are nearby. Facilities for disabled people are available. Turf, trees, and shade ramadas are other features. A nearby picnic area is shaded by 75 large trees, planted by the California Conservation Corps. More campgrounds are available near Porterville which is about 40 miles north of Allensworth. Rocky Hill Campground -- 108 sites, primitive. Army Corps of Engineers -- Success Lake, east of Porterville. Tule Recreation Area -- 104 sites, disposal station, flush toilets, showers. KOA Campgrounds -- 5-miles east of Porterville on Hwy 109. Also, 13-miles north of Bakersfield, via SR 99 on Lerdo Highway. Infodiva's Travel Black History Wild Wild West Black Cowboys Education Gem. Reppin the 415 OMI Ingleside I like to exercize my mind. read more

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park - Allensworth SHP 1st Black Town in California - Parks Near Me - Earlimart, California

We found this little gem of a state park using Roadside America app. It's more than just a state park - it's a piece of history. Allensworth is the only California town to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans. The park is dog friendly so you can walk around the historical buildings with a leashed dog. Most of the buildings are in really good shape. We peeked into all the buildings and could see period original furniture. This is a perfect weekend side trip from the Bay Area. read more

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Allensworth truly is "The Town That Refuses to Die." Many thought Allensworth disappeared, however it sprang back to life with the completion of Allensworth State Historic Park. The park interprets what life was like during its heyday, however many miss the jewel when visiting Allensworth, as their is an active town just to the southwest of the park, which includes a elementary school (K-8). Allensworth is a great find and once you discover it, many questions will pop in your mind allowing you to explore the possibilities. www.fredyt123.com/Allensworth.html read more

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Absolutely interesting historical site. Colonel Allensworth Historic State Park is nothing like any other state parks. Well preserved in authenticity, the story of how the town came to be is very interesting. We got there early in the morning, foggy and deserted. No one in sight. We parked the car by the visitor center and started walking looking inside each buildings. When we were looking at the Smith House , two Park Rangers came and opened the door for us. We got to see inside Mrs Smith's house and the barber shop. The piano, the record player , the sawing machine and the iron were from early 1900's. The record player still plays and amazingly in good condition. I'd like to go back and visit on February 10, 2018 for the special event. read more

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I visited "Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park" (Earimart, CA) on 8/5/2012. It was my first time there. It was not a planed visit - I saw a sign saying it was 16 miles off of hwy. 99. I like history and I had time so I said to myself "go for it" and I'm glad I did. The state of California charges a $6.00 entry fee based on the honor system (I paid my $6.00 in an envelope and dropped it through the slot). Surprisingly they have camping here. I did not stay the night but if I did the price would have been $20.00. Colonel Allen Allensworth was a former slave. He was in the Union Navy during the Civil War but later became an Army chaplain, orator and town founder. The town of Allensworth was the only California town to be founded, financed, and governed by African Americans. Today (2012) the buildings are beautifully restored. read more

If you are driving through the Central Valley, this park is definitely worth the detour to see it. You can really see all the hard work the supports of the park have done. The story of Colonel Allensworth and his town is inspiring and something that should not be forgotten. They have a really great audio tour of the history of the buildings and park. read more

We stayed at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground at $20/night. Learn about the noble vision of Colonel Allen Allensworth and others during 1908. Very nice stroll around reconstructed town, we wish we could spend more time peering into many fascinating buildings and follow corresponding description on our cell phone. Both campground loop and back-in sites were paved and fairly leveled. 3 cold showers and 5 toilets with sinks, all functional and clean. Oh yeah, if you soldiered through the cold shower, it's quite refreshing! Each site has sheltered cement picnic table and some sites even have nice shade trees. OTA TV provides 60 digital channels. No WiFi but 3 bars LTE. Dump station takes credit card and will cost $10 per dump. There is busy train track about 1/3 mile away from the campground and can be heard until 10pm. We would stay again if pass through this way for it price. read more

I have lived in California my entire life and absolutely love all things historical. We have visited state parks, monuments, and museums across the country and this historic park is a treasure in our own backyard that we never visited. It will now be an annual mecca. My children truly connected with this resilient fabric woven into American History. The amazing Park interpretors are as knowledge and accommodating as they come. If your schedule permits, I recommend requesting a guided tour. Then be prepared for a true treat including a short movie narrated by Danny Glover. If you cant arrange a guided tour of this quaint historical town, go anyway and take a self guided stroll through a little known piece of inspiring American History . read more

I love visiting this place! Visited today and noticed all the improvements that have been made. I love the ramps and the portable hand washing stations! The landscaping is gorgeous as well. Keep up the great work, it is much appreciated. read more

I echo what others have said here -- this is a wonderful, historic, well preserved site! The rangers are friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great tour. It is like walking into another time and place, so cool. Go check out this lesser known, but incredibly fascinating part of California's history. read more

A great historical park, even if the visitor center wasn't open when I went (which wasn't on a weekend, so there weren't many people around). There is a small campground neighboring the park. Lots of toads, not much noise except for coyotes and the trains. Watch for holes in the ground if you walk around at night. The facilities here were well kept. The ranger I met was very helpful. Lots of buildings to check out, so bring comfortable shoes, and some water. There wasn't much shade to cool you off as you walk around the town. read more

If you are into history, this is a really interesting place to go. When I went it seemed a bit empty but the picnic tables and area are clean. This is one of those off-the-beaten-path serendipitous history finds. read more

Lived here outside the park during my youth, during off season the park is a ghost town. It was about a mile down the street from where we lived, so my family would take our nightly walks through the park. They have done a lot to the park since we've left, nice to see the homes and businesses going back up. My mother actually attended the school there on the site while she was a little girl. We have a couple of photos of her in front playing with other children. The town only recently was given the status of state park in the 1970s. So my grandfather still remembers families that used to lived on park grounds. The park is frequented by jack rabbits, burrowing owls and hawks. There is a campground that has occasional visitors. If you are looking to visit, where comfortable shoes, since the houses and businesses are spread apart so you'll do quite a bit of walking. Bring water during the summer months because there is little shade too. When I was younger, I enjoyed going to the park when there wasn't anyone there, but during the annual Jubilee its a pain to have all the tourists around. Its loud and there is a lot of traffic (auto and foot). I'm not so much of a fan of the tram doing its "sight-seeing" around the community either. read more

My visit to Col. Allensworth State Historic Park was tremendously enlighting. Much of African American history is not told or is not told accurately. I was privileged to meet a historian in Orlando, FL who had researched the Rosewood Massacre. The Stateof Florida legislature had a furious debate over the issue of making Rosewood an historical site. At issue was whether they would be forced to make many other sites (besides Rosewood) historical sites. However, also at issue was the fact that the Governor blatantly ignored the massacre. If not for a U.S. Army officer help would not have arrived to evacuate the residents. Descendants who testified did so upon the demise of the residents who requested that nothing would be done about this until after their death. The terror of this experience was so great that it was not talked about outside the circle of residents for years. read more