There are plenty of ghost towns around the American West. Many had ties to mining operations that went from boom to bust. But few are like Dearfield Settlement, perhaps America’s only African American ghost town. Dearfield, about 30 miles east of Greeley, Colorado, is now up for consideration to become a National Park Service-managed site.
Dearfield from its preciousness
Dearfield Settlement was the dream of Oliver Toussaint Jackson, a successful businessman from Boulder, Colorado. In 1910, Jackson filed on the homestead that later became the town. Jackson advertised for “colonists,” and they came. Along with them came the name Dearfield. One of the town’s early citizens suggested it. The settlers chose “Dear” as the foundation for the town’s name because of the great value they placed on the land and community.
The first Dearfielders struggled with farming, and trudged through several tough seasons. Ten years after its founding, the town had 200 to 300 residents, two churches, a school, and a restaurant. Those were the prosperous years, but when the Great Depression hit, things went sour. By 1940, the town population had plummeted to 12.
The National Register of Historic Places listed Dearfield Settlement in 1995 as a historic place. Two of the original buildings have survived to this time: Oliver Toussaint Jackson’s original home, and a filling station. The area under consideration for potential Park Service management includes 163 acres of the former townsite, located along Colorado State Highway 34.
Eligibility requirements
There are four requirements for eligibility for Park Service management. Historical significance, sustainability, feasibility, and need for National Park Service management. The Black American West Museum currently manages the site, according to the Service.
According to the National Park Service, “regardless of the outcome of the study, new units of the national park system can only be established by an Act of Congress or by presidential proclamation.”
Interested parties, stakeholders, scholars, and the general public are encouraged to comment on the study by February 23. Click here for more information or to comment.
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Thank you, Russ and Tina! This ghost town certainly seems deserving of being named a culturally significant place. If not, at least it is being preserved now. Very interesting article. Perhaps Dave Helgeson will travel there and write a story about the town’s history. Safe travels! 🙂
The abandoned town of Allensworth in the central valley of California, about midway between Highway 99 and Interstate 5, was founded by Allen Allensworth. The town was promoted as a retirement village for Buffalo Soldiers. However, it was the women that made the town function. It is located in semi-arid farmland and is now a state park.