The Town That Refused To Die

In 1908, Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other settlers established a town, financed and governed by African Americans. 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.

In 1974, California State Parks purchased land within the historical town site of Allensworth, which became Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. Restored and reconstructed 20th-century buildings, including the Colonel’s house, the schoolhouse, the church, and the library have given this town life as a historic state park. When we save one park and its history, we contribute to all the parks throughout California.

October 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. State parks across California will celebrate the centennial of Allensworth, remembering a place where people came to live the American Dream.

For more information call the District Office of Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter at
(909) 820-5008

Did you know? Allensworth State Park is open all year. Fifteen campsites accommodate RVs or tents. Each site includes a picnic table and a camp stove; flush toilets are nearby. Turf, trees, and shade armadas are other features. Seventy-five large trees, planted by the California Conservation Corps, shade a nearby picnic area. Facilities for disabled people are available. Visit www.parks.ca.gov for more information.

Allensworth Exhibit Reception: Assembly Member Carter, Julian Marsailes Johnson and Sharon Johnson, descendants of Dr. William Payne, an Allensworth founder, Ted Jackson, deputy director, California State Parks and Fifth District San Bernadino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales.

Close to 100 people attended the Allensworth Centennial Exhibit reception on Friday, April 18 at the San Bernardino Government Center Rotunda, 385 N. Arrowhead Avenue.

The exhibit, open 8 a.m to 5 p.m. weekdays, will close on April 30 and reopen on May 15 at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles.

Allensworth Centennial exhibit comes to San Bernardino

The Centennial Celebration of Allensworth, a town founded, established and governed by African Americans in 1908, has come to the Inland Empire with the opening earlier this month of a historic exhibit at the San Bernardino County Government Center.

The 22-panel exhibit, on tour throughout the state, tells the story of a visionary settlement in Tulare County, which is now Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. The public can view “Allensworth: 100 years of the California Dream” weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through April 30 at 385 N. Arrowhead Avenue, San Bernardino.

 The touring exhibit was commissioned and co-sponsored by the California African American Museum in Los Angeles. Other co-sponsors are California State Parks, state Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) and the California Legislative Black Caucus. The exhibit originated in Sacramento. Its second stop at the San Bernardino County Government Center is co-sponsored by District 62 Assembly Member Carter, Fifth District San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. 

The Allensworth settlement thrived economically based on retail trade, its level farmlands, county roads, and the Union Pacific rail line. Community life was vibrant with churches, schools, a library, general store, theater, symphony orchestra and numerous civic organizations.

Allensworth began its decline in 1914 when the Santa Fe railroad moved its stop from Allensworth to the nearby town of Alpaugh. That year, the death of Lt. Col. Allen Allensworth, one of the founders, and a drought, poor crops and a failing water supply became hopeless obstacles.

Despite its slow decline over the decades of the 20th century, Allensworth became “the town that refused to die.” In the 1970s, the State of California, recognizing the historical significance of Allensworth, purchased 240 acres of the original town and surroundings, establishing the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

According to state Senator Ridley-Thomas, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, “The vision for Allensworth was a thriving municipality where African Americans functioned independently from, yet cooperatively with, the wider society to achieve self-respect, self-sufficiency, self-determination and prosperity. We still share much of his vision today as we work toward a greater realization of the California Dream.”

Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks, said “As the caretakers of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, said it’s important to tell the story of Allensworth’s impact on California history and culture. “This past year, the future of Allensworth was threatened,” said Coleman, who was referring to the encroachment of large, commercial dairies surrounding the park. “Today, it is a pleasure to look forward at this centennial, knowing Allensworth is protected and to dream of the possibilities before us.”

 Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter, who is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, authored Assembly Bill 576 which protects Allensworth State Park from the potential foul odor, flies and groundwater degradation often associated with large-scale, commercial animal feeding operations. The bill is sponsored by the Legislative Black Caucus.

“I am privileged to personally know, Sharon Van Johnson of San Bernardino, a descendant of a founder of Allensworth who lives in my Assembly District and to play an important role in preserving the cultural, historical and ecological significance of Allensworth State Park,” Assembly Member Carter said. 

According to Susan Anderson, exhibit curator and historian, Allensworth State Historic Park attracts a wide array of visitors of all ethnic groups, “who are drawn to this symbol of the universal dream of freedom.”

 “Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Allensworth represents a significant moment in time and the California African American Museum is thrilled to have had the opportunity to organize an exhibition about this community,” said Charmaine Jefferson, executive director of the California African American Museum, where the exhibit next opens from May 15 to Oct. 5.

For more information about the Centennial Exhibit see http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=24825.