Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

 

Col. Allen Allensworth was a former slave and military hero – the Union armys highest ranking black soldier – when he founded the colony of Allensworth in 1908. He dreamed it would be a utopian community where African-Americans would achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

The village thrived until a poor water supply and Allensworths death in a Southern California traffic accident caused it to slowly die. Today, many of the towns buildings have been rebuilt to their original specifications.

The Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is a center for historical, cultural and interpretative black studies. Annual events, such as the Old Time Jubilee in May; Junteenth in June; Founders Day in August and Rededication in October, attract thousands of visitors from all over the state and nation.

Amtraks San Joaquin trains will stop at Allensworth for group travel with advance reservations.