CA: Amtrak has more trains to see Black history in Allensworth. Last event drew 500+

Amtrak will run special trains once again to a key site for Black history in Tulare County.

The Oct. 11 event will mark the 49th anniversary of the creation of Col. Allensworth State Historic Park. It has remnants of a town co-founded in 1908 by Allen Allensworth with a grand vision for economic and civic life.

Amtrak offers a 50% discount that day for travel on the San Joaquins line to the park. It has five daily round trips between Bakersfield and Oakland and a sixth branching north to Sacramento. Stations along the way include Modesto, Denair, Merced, Madera, Fresno and Hanford.

The observance will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Amtrak will have three southbound and three northbound trains arriving at various times. The schedule and other details are at www.amtrak.com.

The event will feature food vendors, live music and dance, as well as tours of the buildings.

The park’s namesake was born into slavery in Kentucky in 1842. He escaped by joining the Union Army during the Civil War. Allensworth went on to become a chaplain for Black troops, including the famed Buffalo Soldiers in the cavalry. He retired in 1906 as the highest-ranking Black officer to date.

Allensworth toured as a public speaker about his hopes for Black advancement. He was at a Pasadena stop when he and a few other leaders got the idea for the town. This included a college that would become the “Tuskegee of the West.” That never happened, but the place did have a church, schoolhouse and businesses for 300-plus residents at its peak.

Allensworth declined over about two decades, due in part to the loss of its water supply and rail depot. The colonel had died in 1914 after being struck by a motorcycle near Los Angeles.

Amtrak crews set up a temporary platform for the special trains. The park has entry fees only for people who come by car or bus.

The rail service has partnered with California State Parks on the Allensworth trips since 2018. Some have been for Juneteenth, a celebration of the end of slavery. Others observe the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who took up the civil rights cause in the 1950s.

The ridership has gone from 97 for the first event to more than 500 this past Juneteenth, said an email from Tom van der List of KP Public Affairs. The firm helps promote the line for the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority.

In a news release, park interpreter Lori Wear said the train service “has helped thousands of Californians experience the rich history and enduring legacy of Col. Allensworth in an accessible, affordable and memorable way. We’re beyond excited for this year and continuing this progress into the future.”

Allensworth today has a few old homes, including the colonel’s, along with the schoolhouse, barber shop and church. A small campground is nearby.

The state has alloted $40 million for a new visitor center, which could be ready by 2029, and other upgrades. Money also has been raised by the Friends of Allensworth.

The entry fee for people who drive is $10 for a car, $50 for a small bus and $75 for a large bus. They can take Highway 99 south to Fresno, then Highway 43 to the park.

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