World United States Kansas Nicodemus

Mike and Roxanne travel east

Nicodemus Nov 1, 2007

Nov 1 52664 8:00

There is frost on the pumpkins this morning. It was 35 degrees last night. As we leave Paxico the terrain begins to level out, you will gradually climb a small rise and when you are on the top you can see for miles in all directions.

This computer is going into the shop as soon as possible. I have lost the "f" key and do you realize how many words have an 'f" in them. It's gets very frustrating.

We are headed straight across Kansas. The wind is blowing on our left side and it is wrecking havoc with the fuel mileage. After about three hours we turn north to go to Nicodemus. When we fuel up we have averaged only 8.2 mpg, down almost 1 mpg since the last fill up.

Nicodemus National Historic Site

After the Civil War, blacks in the South soon discovered that the political and economic gains of Reconstruction were being violently stripped away. Some began to look westward to area that had been free states before the war. W.H. Smith and five other African American men with the help o W. R. Hill a white land developer had formed the Nicodemus Town Company.

Recruitment posters were put up all over the South, a black man would be able to buy a plot of land for only $5.00. In September 1877 nearly 300 settlers from Kentucky arrived in the newly platted town of Nicodemus.

Many were appalled by what they found, not the milk and honey land that had been promised but crude dwelling dugout of the ground. 60 people immediately called it quits and headed back to Kentucky. The rest stayed and with hard work and determination by the mid 1880's Nicodemus had been transformed into a prosperous town completely settled by African Americans.

Long-term success depended on the railroad and despite tireless efforts of the town's boosters the nearest railroad ran several mile south. A gradual decline began. Nicodemus suffered along with the rest of the nation during the Great Depression in the 1930's.

Nearly 50 people keep the town alive throughout nearly 100 years through determination. The young people mainly seemed to move away but often came back after retirement. An Emancipation reunion is held each year the end of July and over the years several town members have fought to get the town designated a National Site.

In 1976 the original 161-acre town was listed as a National Historic Landmark District and through further effort in 1996 Congress established Nicodemus National Historic Site. Five remaining historic buildings are being restored. These are 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).

The 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. This is the last African American community West of the Mississippi.

From here it is only 80 miles to Colby where we will spend the night. We are at the Bourgoin's RV Park, another Passport America park, hookups and WiFi for only $12.00.