I chose to feature this Classic episode of California’s Gold, first aired in 1992, because I recently saw an Instagram post by California State Parks highlighting the town of Allensworth as part of Black History Month. One thing that struck me during this episode was the number of people who said they had only recently learned of Col. Allensworth and had no idea that Allensworth State Park even existed. But happily, there are plenty of other folks who retain strong memories and passionate feelings about their time in this very historic and special community.

There may not be a lot to see at the site of Old Kernville in Kern County; but this segment reminded me quite a lot of the many small communities that once could be found along the banks of the American River prior to the building of Folsom Dam in 1955. As time goes on, there are fewer and fewer people who can recall these vanished places, but they all form a part of our bigger story; if we allow them to be forgotten, we lose much more than we may ever know.

Join Huell and visit Allensworth, now a state historic park, California’s only community founded, financed, and governed by African Americans during the early 1900s; tour old and new Kernville as area residents recount their experiences; and go whitewater rafting down the wild and scenic Kern River, one of the fastest flowing rivers in the nation.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)