Dearfield (Additional Documentation)
About this property
Dearfield is an extinct town and a historically black majority settlement in Weld County, Colorado, United States. It is 30 miles (48 km) east of Greeley. The town was formed by Oliver Toussaint Jackson, who desired to create a colony for African American homesteaders. In 1910, Jackson, a successful businessman from Boulder, filed on the homestead that later became the town and began to advertise for "colonists." The name Dearfield was suggested by one of the town's citizens, Dr. J.H.P. Westbrook, who was from Denver. The word dear was chosen as the foundation for the town's name due to the precious value of the land and community to the town's settlers. The first settlers of Dearfield had great difficulty farming the surrounding pasture and endured several harsh seasons. By 1920, the town had 200 to 300 residents, two churches, a school and restaurant. In 1921, the town's net worth was appraised at $1,075,000. After the prosperous years of the 1920s, the Great Depression arrived and the town's agricultural success significantly declined. Settlers began to leave Dearfield in order to find better opportunities. By 1940, the town population had decreased to 12. Jackson desperately attempted to spur interest in the town, even offering it for sale. There was little interest in Dearfield. Jackson died on February 18, 1948. A few buildings remain in Dearfield: a gas station, a diner, and the founder's home. In 1995, the town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998, the Black American West Museum in Denver began to make attempts to preserve the town's site. It is a Colorado Registered Historic Landmark. A 2010 monument next to one of the remaining buildings contains information about the history of the site. A 2001 state historical marker at U.S. Route 85 mile marker 264 near Evans, Colorado, includes a panel with the history of Dearfield.
Location
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Dearfield (Additional Documentation) listed on the National Register?
Dearfield (Additional Documentation) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 3, 1995.
What type of historic resource is Dearfield (Additional Documentation)?
Dearfield (Additional Documentation) is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Dearfield (Additional Documentation)?
The period of significance for Dearfield (Additional Documentation) is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Dearfield (Additional Documentation)?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Dearfield (Additional Documentation) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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