Allensworth at 50: California Honors Historic Black-Founded Town and Its State Park

EARLIMART, TULARE COUNTY — October 18, 2026. Five decades after its opening as a state park, Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park remains an extraordinary place to understand California’s early twentieth-century history. The state marked the park’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, October 10, with its annual rededication celebration, including historic-building tours, music, community gatherings and remarks from descendants of the town’s founders.

California State Parks announced the commemoration on October 16. Officials said thousands of visitors and partners attended the October 10 gathering. The account is an agency estimate; California58 did not independently count attendees.

A California town founded in 1908

The town was established in 1908 by retired U.S. Army officer Allen Allensworth alongside William Payne, William Peck, John Palmer and Harry Mitchell. The founders envisioned a community that African American families could finance, govern and develop themselves in the face of discrimination elsewhere. Allensworth’s story is one of ambition and self-determination as well as the challenges faced by Black communities in the early twentieth century.

The site is not marking 50 years since the town was founded. 1908 marks the settlement’s founding; October 1976 marks the state park’s opening. Those dates are frequently confused, and the anniversary concerns the park and its preservation mission.

What happened at the rededication

State Parks described an October 10 event featuring historical reenactments, visits to restored and reconstructed buildings, a 5K run/walk and programming about the town’s residents. Anita Zachary, great-granddaughter of Allen and Josephine Allensworth, delivered the keynote address. The park also recognized volunteers and marked the day with commemorative tree planting.

The anniversary reflects an earlier preservation movement. According to the agency’s historical account, landscape architect Ed Pope and other advocates began organizing protection of the site in 1969. An acquisition and restoration plan was adopted in 1972 before the park opened in 1976.

Why the preservation story matters today

The celebration highlights the role of descendants and local supporters in protecting history that may otherwise have been overlooked. Preserved streets and structures offer visitors a physical way to consider education, entrepreneurship, community governance and racial exclusion in California’s past. This is a historic preservation feature, not an announcement of a new housing subdivision or a recreated town with current public services.

Plan a visit, but confirm practical details

The park is near Earlimart in southern Tulare County. Before traveling, consult the official Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park page for current access information, visitor facilities and program dates. State Parks currently lists general day-use admission as free, park hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and visitor-center hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The official park contact number is 661-849-3433. Buildings are normally viewed from outside during self-guided tours; guided tours should be arranged with the park at least 72 hours ahead. Special-event parking fees and schedules can differ from regular day-use terms, so confirm details before traveling.

Primary source: California State Parks, October 16, 2026, anniversary news release. Photographs of the October 10 celebration, if shown, should be credited to California State Parks. This article adds historical context and distinguishes the park’s anniversary from the founding date.

California58 local history and culture coverage | Published October 18, 2026. Event attendance is attributed to State Parks; no independent crowd estimate or current park schedule is claimed.

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