Nicodemus National Historic Site - National Park Directory

Frame one story schoolhouse with most of white paint worn off to show gray.

District Number 1 Schoolhouse on a cloudy summer day.

View of the First Baptist Church from street corner.

Front view of limestone building. A sidewalk leads up to white double doors of the building.

The Township Hall on a beautiful summer day.

White stucco church with white double doors and text above the doors that reads "A.M.E. CHURCH 1885"

Nicodemus A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church

Nicodemus Descendants outside Visitor Center

Nicodemus Descendants outisde the park Visitor Center

White frame with a second story gable on the right side, tan roof, and small screened porch.

The St. Francis Hotel (Fletcher-Switzer Home)

Photos: National Park Service

About Nicodemus National Historic Site

Formerly enslaved African Americans left Kentucky at the end of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period to experience freedom in the "Promised Land" of Kansas. Nicodemus represents the involvement of African Americans in the homesteading movement across the Great Plains. It is the oldest remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River.

Quick Facts

State Kansas

Designation National Historic Site

State Code KS

Weather Northwest Kansas has a four-season climate typified by long, hot summers, cold winters, short spring and fall seasons, and a nearly constant breeze. Humidity is relatively low compared to the…

Location & Map

Nicodemus National Historic Site is located in Kansas.

Get Directions

Operating Hours

The Nicodemus Township Hall and visitor center is open year-round for five (5) days of the week, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Visitor center hours are 9 am to 5 pm central time. The grounds are open 24 hours a day. The visitor center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year Day.

Wednesday Closed

Monday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Thursday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Sunday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Tuesday Closed

Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Saturday 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Activities

Guided Tours Self-Guided Tours - Walking Self-Guided Tours - Auto Junior Ranger Program Park Film

Getting There

Nicodemus National Historic Site is located in northwestern Kansas on Highway 24 between Hill City and Stockton.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

Address 304 Washington Ave., Nicodemus, KS, 67625-3015

Phone 785-839-4233

Email Nicodemus_Info@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

African American Heritage Westward Expansion

Things To Do

Park Ranger Programs

Discover the vibrant history and community of Nicodemus through ranger programs! Request a guided tour of the town, plan a…

Take a ranger-guided tour of the town of Nicodemus to learn more about its history and important buildings.

Picnicking at Nicodemus

Picnic areas are available at Nicodemus with picnic tables, sun shelters, grills, and water.

Enjoy a peaceful picnic at the Roadside Park behind the Nicodemus Township Hall. Picnic tables, grills, water pumps, sun shelters,…

Photography and Art

Taking photos in Kansas? What's even out there? Nicodemus has plenty of landscapes, buildings, wildlife, and skies that you will…

Visitor Centers

Township Hall and Visitor Center

The visitor center is open year-round for five (5) days of the week. We are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The visitor center is closed…

Hours: The Nicodemus Township Hall serves as the site's visitor center and houses an audiovisual presentation, several interpretive exhibits, and a park store.

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