National Historic Landmark Amendment (Nicodemus)

NOTE: The review period has been extended to April 16, 2017.

In 2011 the National Park Service (NPS) began a project to consider amending the 1976 Nicodemus National Historic Landmark (NHL) Historic District document. We invite you to review the ​final draft of this amendment which proposes to expand the boundaries of the NHL district beyond the historic Nicodemus town site in order to recognize additional places that are part of this significant story. The expanded boundary recognizes the close historic relationships between the town and the surrounding farmland to include the entire Nicodemus Township, and two discontiguous areas.

A redacted version of this draft amendment to the NHL nomination is available for your review between today and March 13, 2017 (click the link on this site; includes two documents). A limited number of paper copies are also available at the Nicodemus Historic Site visitor center (Township Hall, Nicodemus) and at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site (1515 SE Monroe St., Topeka). We are interested in your thoughts, questions or concerns about the draft. We ask that all comments be submitted on this PEPC website - - use the green "Comment Now" button to left.

Designation as an NHL is honorific. Under Federal law and regulations, NHL designation does not change the legal right of a private property owner to take any action with respect to a Landmark property that may otherwise legally be taken. It does not require that the owner of property within a Landmark to provide public access to that property. Finally, it also does not indicate an interest in acquisition of the property by the National Park Service.

National Historic Landmark designation follows three steps: a) study and preparation of the amended nomination [this step]; b) review of the nomination by the National Park System Advisory Board; and c) a decision by the Secretary of the Interior based on the Board's recommendations.

National Historic Landmark designation is a distinction awarded by the Secretary to historic properties found to possess exceptional significance to the nation as a whole. Less than 2,500 properties are designated as NHLs within the United States. The town of Nicodemus has long been recognized for its national importance in African-American history and settlement of the Great Plains at the end of Reconstruction. The original 1976 NHL designation of the town recognized its significance as the oldest continually occupied black town west of the Mississippi River. The pioneer spirit of those people who sought personal freedom and the opportunity to develop their talents lives on today in Nicodemus, Kansas.

At this time, the NPS is interested in receiving comments from both property owners within the proposed expanded boundary, as well as other members of the public. Comments will be accepted through March 3, 2017.

Document Content:

Nicodemus NHL FIGURES FEBRUARY 10 2017.pdf   (1.1 MB, PDF file) Nicodemus redacted NHL FINAL DRAFT FEBRUARY 10 2017.pdf   (1.6 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.