Allensworth, Calif., is in trouble. A state historical site, Allensworth could soon be surrounded by a large dairy operation—and the miscellaneous discomforts that go with it.

Allensworth is one of several towns founded in the West by African-American migrants after the Civil War. The town didn't survive the Great Depression, but it has become a destination for visitors with interest in African-American heritage and pioneering heritage.

Col. Allen Allensworth escaped slavery during the Civil War and served in the U.S. Navy. After the war, Allensworth was a restaurant owner and was ordained a Baptist minister. He returned to the service with a commission as chaplain in the U.S. Army.

Col. Allensworth moved to California with the goal of creating a place where African-Americans could develop their lives free of prejudice. In 1908, Allensworth and his fellow pioneers founded the town in Tulare County named for him. Located on the Santa Fe Railroad, the farms and schools in Allensworth prospered for a few years. But the town was unable to establish a college (to be named "Tuskegee of the West"), and water resources began to dwindle; Col. Allensworth himself was hit and killed by a motorcycle in 1914. By the 1930s, most residents had moved to seek jobs in other areas.

The town became a California State Historic Park in 1976.