Allensworth Historic District
Also known as: Allensworth
Why it's listed
Allensworth is a small farming townsite in the southern San Joaquin Valley of Tulare County, California, founded on August 3, 1908 by Col. Allen Allensworth and the California Colony and Home Promotion Association. It began with eight commercial and public buildings, including a school, church, library, hotel and post office, plus 31 houses. The district covers about 150 acres, and no single architectural style dominates. Many homes, including the founder's, need extensive repair, while the 1912 wood-frame school remains in excellent condition and in use. The town was listed because it is described as California's only community founded, financed and governed by Black Americans. Its school helped defend the right of Black children to an education between 1913 and 1915, and its citizens influenced political actions across the state. Col. Allensworth was a former slave who rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel as an army chaplain. State plans call for preservation and restoration as a historic park.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Allensworth is California's only town founded, financed and governed by Black Americans. It is significant for its ties to Col. Allensworth, a Black military officer born a slave, and for its role in education, politics, agriculture and Black history in the state. The school took part in the 1913-1915 defense of Black children's right to education.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000263, listed February 23, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Town of Allensworth and its environs along CA 43, Allensworth and |
|---|---|
| County | Tulare County |
| Listed | February 23, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000263 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 20th Century; founding date August 3, 1908; preservation program focuses on 1908-1918 |
| Architectural style | No dominant architectural style |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Military, Black, Education, Politics/Government, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is mixed. Some houses have collapsed and many need extensive repair, while the 1912 school is in excellent condition and still used for school purposes. The state proposes preserving and restoring the townsite as a State Historic Park. |
| Acreage | 60 |
| Coordinates | 35.86241, -119.38745 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000263.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5148087
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.