The library became a hub of activity as Allensworth residents, reflecting the founders’ concern with self-education, relentlessly explored its holdings. In 1919, a local periodical noticed the community’s preoccupation with learning. The Visalia Delta, in an article headlined, Allensworth Folks Great Readers, delineated the varied interests of the colony in books about questions of political economy, the warring nations in Europe and those dealing with the problems and interests of the colored race in America and elsewhere. As with many other African-American communities in the Golden State, Allensworth’s back churches were a major factor in the development of community spirit and mutual respect. The first Baptist Church held regular services in what was described as a neat church edifice, while the first A.M.E. Zion membership worshipped in the school, and in 1916, plans were made to erect a structure for the Methodist congregation.

Subscribe Today

• Did you enjoy our article?
• Read more in Wild West magazine
• Subscribe online and save nearly 40%!!!
 

Another element in Allensworth’s development of the sense of communal responsibility was the struggle to establish a state-supported industrial school. Early in 1914, Colonel Allensworth lobbied for an educational institute to be based on the model pioneered by Booker T. Washington in Alabama. Allensworth envisioned a Tuskegee of the West that would provide practical training in such technical fields as agriculture, carpentry and masonry to black youths in California and the Southwest. When a bill to create the school was introduced in the California State Legislature, the colony of Allensworth anticipated an exciting and prosperous future, says Michael Harvey. It seemed that Allensworth would, as claimed by author Delilah Beasley, ‘become one of the greatest Negro cities in the United States,’ if not the world.

But it was not to be. Colonel Allensworth and Payne had been duped by the Pacific Farming Company, and let down by others.

Almost immediately, the Allensworth colony faced several crises that led to its eventual decline. In 1914, the Santa Fe Railroad, never a supporter of this black community, built a spur line to neighboring Alpaugh, thus allowing most rail traffic to bypass Allensworth and depriving the town of the lucrative carrying trade. The Santa Fe’s decision was the culmination of a series of conflicts between Allensworth and that railroad — and racial prejudice. Initially, the rail line refused to change the name of the depot from Solito/Solita to Allensworth. In an article in the Tulare County Times in July 1909, officials argued that the new name was too long to fit on signs or in the book of schedules. It was several years before the company relented and changed its policy, says Herring. A more serious problem was the Santa Fe’s employment practices. The corporation refused to hire African Americans as the manager or as ticket agents of the station located in the colony and, despite repeated letters and recriminations, the railroad continued to restrict block people to menial labor, says Sinegal.

Further, the dream of having the Tuskegee of the West ended when the bill to create the school failed to pass the legislature. It went down in May of 1915, partly because of strong opposition from the African Americans in Los Angeles and San Francisco, who believed that a Tuskegee-like institution would implicitly sanction and thereby reinforce educational and residential segregation, says Bry.

Moreover, the community continued to reel under the long-standing water problem. As part of the initial purchase, the Pacific Farming Company had agreed to supply sufficient water for irrigation, regardless of how large the town grew, but as early as 1910, the Pacific Farming Company was failing to honor its commitment. Eventually, the community sought and gained legal redress: the control of the Allensworth Water Company passed to the town. But it was a pyrrhic victory at best because the town now owned an outdated water system, and had the unexpected burden of massive, unpaid taxes. Not until 1918 was the community able to rid itself of the tax burden and begin to upgrade the pumping machinery, but by then the water table had dropped too low and the equipment was ineffective.

Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to