Nicodemus National Historic Site consists of the town of Nicodemus, Kansas, the oldest remaining Western town founded by African Americans after the American Civil War ended in 1865. Nicodemus lies 13 miles (21 kilometers) east of Hill City, Kansas, and north of the Solomon River.
African American pioneers from Kentucky established a settlement at Nicodemus in 1877. A land developer named W. R. Hill attracted them to the region, where they hoped to escape the racial oppression that lingered in the South following the Civil War. Many of the settlers arrived ill-prepared for the area’s climate. At first, they lived in dugouts in the ground and struggled to survive. But over time, they prospered. By 1880, the town’s population had grown to about 350.
The townspeople of Nicodemus established the first school and first church in Graham County. By the mid-1880’s, the town had two newspapers, four general stores, a number of small hotels, and a bank, as well as other businesses.
The fortunes of Nicodemus began to decline when a Union Pacific Railroad line bypassed the town. Businesses left Nicodemus to move closer to the railroad south of the Solomon River. In 1950, only 16 people lived in Nicodemus.
Today, Nicodemus is an unincorporated town with a population of about 40. Its one remaining business is the Nicodemus Historical Society Museum. Historic structures on the site include the African Methodist Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church, Nicodemus Township Hall, St. Francis Hotel, and Nicodemus School District No. 1 Building.
Each year during the last weekend of July, the town’s inhabitants and visitors celebrate Homecoming. Descendants of Nicodemus’s early settlers come together to renew family ties and friendships, and to honor the history of the town. Homecoming celebrations include a parade and fashion show.
Nicodemus became a national historic site in 1996. The National Park Service and the people of Nicodemus cooperate to preserve its historic buildings. Visitors can travel 2 miles (3 kilometers) east of Nicodemus to see an example of a dugout house from the early days of the settlement.
