Nicodemus

https://www.nps.gov/nico/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicodemus_National_Historic_Site Nicodemus National Historic Site, located in Nicodemus, Kansas, preserves, protects and interprets the only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period following the American Civil War. The town of Nicodemus is symbolic of the pioneer spirit of African Americans who dared to leave the only region they had been familiar with to seek personal freedom and the opportunity to develop their talents and capabilities. The site was named, at least in part, for a legendary African-American slave featured in abolitionist Henry Clay Work's "Wake, Nicodemus (1864)." Formerly enslaved African Americans left Kentucky at the end of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period to experience freedom in the "Promised Land" of Kansas. Nicodemus represents the involvement of African Americans in the homesteading movement across the Great Plains. It is the oldest and only remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River. Nicodemus National Historic Site is located in northwestern Kansas on Highway 24 between Hill City and Stockton. Township Hall and Visitor Center The visitor center is open year-round for five (5) days of the week. We are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year Day. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm central time District Number 1 Schoolhouse Frame one story schoolhouse with most of white paint worn off to show gray. District Number 1 Schoolhouse on a cloudy summer day. The First Baptist Church The First Baptist Church View of the First Baptist Church from street corner. Township Hall Front view of limestone building. A sidewalk leads up to white double doors of the building. The Township Hall on a beautiful summer day. Nicodemus A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church White stucco church with white double doors and text above the doors that reads "A.M.E. CHURCH 1885" Nicodemus A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church Nicodemus Descendants Nicodemus Descendants outside Visitor Center Nicodemus Descendants outisde the park Visitor Center St. Francis Hotel (Fletcher-Switzer Home) White frame with a second story gable on the right side, tan roof, and small screened porch. The St. Francis Hotel (Fletcher-Switzer Home) Reconstruction During Reconstruction, the Federal government pursued a program of political, social, and economic restructuring across the South-including an attempt to accord legal equality and political power to former slaves. Reconstruction became a struggle over the meaning of freedom, with former slaves, former slaveholders and Northerners adopting divergent definitions. Faced with increasing opposition by white Southerners and some Northerners, however, the government abandoned effor Picture depictsing former slaves and free blacks voting following the passage of the 15th amendment Nicodemus National Historic Site Nicodemus National Historic Site is settled within the open landscape of the Great Plains of western Kansas. While it may appear as a simple rural community, Nicodemus is a symbol for the strength, determination, and endurance of many African American communities. The town took shape at the end of the Civil War, as former slaves relocated from the south. The structures that served as community pillars and agricultural surroundings continue to define Nicodemus. School District 1 at Nicodemus is surrounded by a flat, open area of low grass, with a jungle gym “Wake Nicodemus:” Archeology at the Thomas Johnson/Henry Williams Farm Thomas Johnson homesteaded a piece of land just outside of the town of Nicodemus in 1878. Johnson’s grandson, Henry Williams continued to farm it until the middle of twentieth century. Archeology reveals a story of ingenuity, pride, and the struggle to survive in a harsh and punishing environment. The material remains of the farm give glimpses into the web of kinship and community that link not only people and places but also the present and the past at Nicodemus. Residents of Nicodemus The War and Westward Expansion With Federal resources focused on waging the war farther east, both native tribes and the Confederacy attempted to claim or reclaim lands west of the Mississippi. The Federal government responded with measures (Homestead Act, transcontinental railroad) and military campaigns designed to encourage settlement, solidify Union control of the trans-Mississippi West, and further marginalize the physical and cultural presence of tribes native to the West. Painting Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way showing settlers moving into the American west Service First Agreement Provides Operational and Ecological Benefits NPS and USFWS have operated under a “Service First” agreement for fire management in several NPS units in the Midwest since 2008. The Service First statute authorizes agencies within the US Department of Interior and US Department of Agriculture to conduct shared management activities to achieve mutually beneficial land and resource management goals. The Mid-Plains Interagency Fire Management Zone recently received the NPS Midwest Regional Office Fire Management Award. African American Homesteaders in the Great Plains Homestead National Monument of America and Nicodemus National Historic Site are partnering with the University of Nebraska's Center for Great Plains Studies to discover and share the stories of African American homesteading colonies. Two black men and two black women stand in front of a frame building. The photo is black and white. Exodusters Thousands of African-Americans made their way to Kansas and other Western states after Reconstruction. The Homestead Act and other laws offered blacks the opportunity to escape the racism and oppression of the post-war South and become owners of their own tracts of private farmland. The large-scale black migration from the South to Kansas came to be known as the "Great Exodus," and those participating in it were called "exodusters." Men and Woman gather in front of general store, 1855 Things to Do in Kansas Find things to do in Kansas. Single story square building in the distance partially obstructed by a field of golden grass. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Nicodemus Newsletter January 2024 This article is for the Nicodemus Newsletter, January of 2024. It is the information provided in the printed copy we have available in the Township Hall. A group of teenagers watching the park film during Voices and Votes. Nicodemus Newsletter March 2025 This is the March 2025 edition of Nicodemus National Historic Site's newsletter, highlighting 2024 accomplishments and events and sharing plans for 2025. Photo is side view of a white stucco building with a gray shingle roof.

Nicodemus National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Site Kansas The Emancipation Celebration held each July honors the people of Nicodemus, past and present. African American Home on the Frontier This northwestern Kansas town—barely a few dozen buildings—tells us first-hand stories of the African American experience on the Great Plains. Founded in 1877, it was the first western town built by and for black settlers. For black farmers in the region, it was the economic and cultural hub for many decades. After the Civil War, blacks in the South found that the political and economic gains of Reconstruction were being violently stripped away. Some looked westward, but, because racial tensions extended to the frontier, the idea of an all-black settlement took hold. The Nicodemus Town Company was formed by W.H. Smith and five other African American men, and W.R. Hill, a white land developer. In September 1877, some 300 settlers recruited from Kentucky arrived at the newly platted town of Nicodemus. Like their white counterparts elsewhere on the frontier, they lived in primitive conditions. Newcomers were shaken by the spectacle of homes dug into the ground. Sixty people returned to Kentucky immediately. By the mid-1880s, hard-working, strong-willed settlers transformed Nicodemus into a prosperous town. Lasting prosperity on the Great Plains, though, depended on the presence of a railroad line. Despite the tireless efforts of town boosters, the nearest railroad ran several miles south. The town began a gradual decline. Nicodemus suffered along with the rest of the nation during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In 1976 the original 161-acre town was listed as a National Historic Landmark District. In 1996 Congress established Nicodemus National Historic Site. The National Park Service and the residents of Nicodemus work together to preserve five remaining historic structures—the St. Francis Hotel (1878), African Methodist Episcopal Church (1897), First Baptist Church (1907), Nicodemus School District No. 1 building (1918), and Nicodemus Township Hall (1939). Nicodemus National Historic Site preserves a living community that includes descendants of the original emigrants who answered the call of free land and a limitless future. 'That is Nicodemus.' The families lived in dugouts... The scenery was not at all inviting, and I began to cry. Willianna Hickman recalling her arrival at Nicodemus, Spring 1878 As at Nicodemus, many 19th-century Great Plains settlers lived in homes dug out of the ground. Town residents gather at a gas station near Nicodemus, 1920s. UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA LIBRARY COURTESY NICODEMUS HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION, KANSAS UNIVERSITY Despite the arrival of mechanized equipment, farming was always difficult in the region. Top: Promoters made wildly optimistic promises to attract settlers. Discovering the Spirit of Nicodemus Planning Your Visit Things to Do The park is open year-round except January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25. Stop first at the visitor center in the 1939 Township Hall, where you will find exhibits, a brief audiovisual program, and an information desk staffed by park rangers. A self-guiding tour leads you to the historic buildings: the school, old First Baptist Church, St. Francis Hotel, A.M.E. Church, and Township Hall. Most property is privately owned; please respect owners' privacy. Ranger-led walking tours can be arranged in advance; call 785-839-4233. Emancipation Celebration The National Park Service works together with town residents to preserve and interpret Nicodemus. Most of the 25 or so residents trace their roots to the town's founders. Every summer hundreds of other descendants return to renew family ties and celebrate their heritage during the town's Emancipation Celebration. The event is held the last weekend in July and is open to the public. Getting to the Park The park is in northwestern Kansas. From eastbound I-70: exit at Colby and take U.S. 24 east for 81 miles to Nicodemus. From westbound I-70: exit at Hays and take U.S. 183 to Stockton; turn left (west) onto U.S. 24 and go 19 miles. The visitor center is at the east end of town, one block south of U.S. 24. More Information Nicodemus National Historic Site is one of more than 380 parks in the National Park System. For more on national parks and National Park Service programs in America's communities, visit www.nps.gov. Nicodemus National Historic Site 304 Washington Ave. Nicodemus, KS 67625 785-839-4321 www.nps.gov/nico Township Hall, constructed in 1939 (inset), is n o w the park's visitor center. Top: Nicodemus in its early years. Below: The original t o w n s h i p plat is clearly visible in this 1953 photograph. *GPO:2006—320-369/00575 Printed on recycled paper Nicodemus National Historic Site