Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

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Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
2009-0725-CA-Allensworth.jpg
The restored buildings in Allensworth rise from the San Joaquin Valley
USA California location map.svg
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Usa edcp location map.svg
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Location Tulare County, California
United States
Nearest city Earlimart, California
Coordinates 35°51′49″N119°23′20″W / 35.86361°N 119.38889°W / 35.86361; -119.38889
Area3,715 acres (15.03 km2)
Established1973
Governing body California Department of Parks and Recreation
Allensworth Historic District
Built1908
NRHP reference No. 72000263
Added to NRHPFebruary 23, 1972 [1]
Allensworth State Historic Park
Allensworth01.jpg
Allensworth State Park station platform in 2012
General information
Location4011 Grant Drive
Allensworth, California
United States
Coordinates 35°51′50″N119°23′08″W / 35.8640°N 119.3856°W / 35.8640; -119.3856
Line(s) BNSF Bakersfield Subdivision [11]
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station code Amtrak: CNL
Passengers
FY 2022470
Services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Corcoran
toward Oakland or Sacramento
San Joaquins
(Limited service)
Wasco
toward Bakersfield

The Allensworth station or Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park station is located east of the state historic park, just outside the entrance to the park near the Central Valley Highway (SR-43). The station has a platform only with no shelter. The station is served by Amtrak's San Joaquin service between Bakersfield and either Oakland or Sacramento. [12] It opened some time in or before 2001.

The station is a conditional stop, with the train only stopping for groups of 20 or more that make reservations several weeks in advance. [13] [14] Since special arrangements must be made prior to booking trips to and from the station, it does not appear on many of Amtrak's lists of active stations. [15] Scheduled service is provided during special events at the park, including the annual Juneteenth celebration. [16]

In Fiscal Year 2022, 470 passengers boarded or detrained at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park station. [17]

San Joaquins are expected to cease services here once California High-Speed Rail operations begin. [18]

Rare 1880s railroad boxcars

Two rare 19th-century railroad boxcars, which are believed to have been the residence of the station agent at Allensworth, have been restored by the California State Railroad Museum and are displayed at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. California State Parks contracted with the nonprofit museum in mid-2002 to conserve and restore the two railroad boxcar bodies associated with Allensworth. Wheels and axles had been removed after the turn of the 20th century; today the boxcars are today considered rare specimens of early railroad freight cars. For the project, one car was fully documented and received a museum-level conservation. [19]

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References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 Wheeler, B. Gordon (February 2000). "Allensworth: California's African American Community". Wild West. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Wheeler, B. Gordon (1993). Black California: The History of African-Americans in the Golden State . New York City: Hippocrene Books. ISBN   0-7818-0074-9.
  4. 1 2 3 Beasley, Delilah L. (1919). The Negro Trailblazers of California.
  5. "Dedication Will Spark New Hope For Allensworth". The Fresno Bee. October 6, 1976.
  6. "Allensworth Colony: What was the Allensworth colony?". Visalia Times-Delta. January 17, 2001. Archived from the original on July 18, 2007.
  7. Ritter, John (January 21, 2001). "Dairy could doom historic California town, group says". USA Today . Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  8. "Calendar of Events". www.friendsofallensworth.com. Friends of Allensworth. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  9. Aarons, Rachel (March 21, 2014). "Slide Show: American Public Libraries Great and Small". The New Yorker . Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  10. "Dairy plan's foes score a victory". Sacramento Bee.
  11. SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. p. 11.
  12. "San Joaquin" (PDF). amtraksanjoaquins.com. Amtrak. October 28, 2019. pp. 2–3. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  13. "Colonel Allensworth SHP". California Department of Parks and Recreation . Retrieved September 13, 2013. With a group of 20 or more (you will need a exact head count for preapproval), and several weeks ahead of time, Amtrak can stop at Allensworth and let you off right at the park.
  14. "Allensworth State Historic Park California (CNL)". trainweb.org. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  15. "Amtrak Station Codes: CA". amtrak.com. Amtrak . Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  16. Rodriguez, Freddy (June 5, 2023). "Allensworth Juneteenth Celebration". Amtrak San Joaquins (Press release). Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  17. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of California" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  18. "DRAFT 2023 BUSINESS PLAN UPDATE" (PDF). SJRRA. p. 36. Retrieved October 25, 2023. To most efficiently integrate the San Joaquins and the interim HSR services, Merced will become the southern terminus for San Joaquins rail service once operations begin on the HSR infrastructure at the end of 2030.
  19. "Historic 1880s Railroad Boxcars Under Restoration Before Return to Allensworth State Historic Park" (PDF) (Press release). California Department of Parks and Recreation. February 26, 2004.

Further reading