Nicodemus Historical Society collection | KU Libraries Digital Collections

Nicodemus, Kansas was founded in 1877 by African Americans who migrated from the southern United States, primarily Kentucky and Tennessee, shortly after the Civil War. The town reached its most prosperous years by 1886, with the maturation of area agricultural production. However, the community began a long decline when a rail line, built in 1888, bypassed Nicodemus, instead linking through the neighboring town of Bogue. The population is thought to have peaked in 1910, when the federal census reported 595 inhabitants in Graham County. By 1950, only 16 residents were counted, and the Post Office station closed in 1953.

Nicodemus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the federal government in 1976, and became a National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service in 1996. This collection is comprised of donations from the Nicodemus Historical Society, as well as other individual Nicodemus citizens and their families, and documents the town's history and legacy.

View the complete finding aid for this collection.

: Nicodemus Historical Society records

: Charlesetta and James Bates papers

: Blanche White papers

: Ola Wilson papers

: Nicodemus Historical Society photographs

Users of this collection should be aware that these items reflect the attitudes of the people, period, or context in which they were created. Certain images, words, terms, or descriptions may be offensive, culturally insensitive, or considered inappropriate today. These items do not represent the views of the libraries or the university. https://spencer.lib.ku.edu/collections/problematic-description