The town was founded in 1877, and former slaves were encouraged to resettle here in Kansas, a free state. Kansas was part of the Underground Railroad and was also home to John Brown. At its height, Nicodemus had roughly 700 residents. When the town failed to get the railroad to come through (it was built south of them), the town slowly died. According to the ranger on duty during our visit, there are 20 descendants of the original residents still living here. And five original structures still stand. The old Township Hall is now the Visitor's Center.
St. Francis Hotel is still there but crumbling.
The First Baptist Church looked like some work was being done on a newer addition to it.
The A.M.E. Church remains open to the public.
The District 1 School stands closed and distant.
This is the only remaining town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. The National Park Service states it is the oldest remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River. The railroad may have passed it by but the story of the town remains.
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