Dearfield is an

extinct town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by Alle ...

and a historically black majority settlement in

Weld County Weld County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 328,981. The county seat is Greeley. Weld County comprises the Greeley, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Denver ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It is east of Greeley. The town was formed by

Oliver Toussaint Jackson Oliver Toussaint Jackson (April 6, 1862 – February 8, 1948) was an American businessman and entrepreneur, who, inspired by Booker T. Washington's autobiography '' Up from Slavery'', formed Dearfield, Colorado, a self-sufficient agricultural se ...

, who desired to create a colony for African Americans. 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 Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. 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. However, there was little interest in Dearfield. Jackson died on February 18, 1948. A few deserted 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. In 1998, 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 CHS ID 263 - http://www.coloradohistory.org/RIPsigns/show_markertext.asp?id=864 at

U.S. Route 85 U.S. Route 85 (US 85) is a north–south United States Highway that travels in the Mountain and Northern Plains states of the United States. The southern terminus of the highway is at the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas, connecting wi ...

mile marker 264 near

Evans, Colorado The City of Evans is a home rule municipality located in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 22,165 at the 2020 United States Census, a 19.57% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Evans is a part of the Greeley ...

, includes a panel with the history of Dearfield. Image:Dearfield CO 1.jpg, Image:Dearfield co 3.jpg,

References

External links

State of Colorado

History Colorado
listing in Colorado Preservation's Endangered Places Program

page at Colorado State University's Architectural Preservation Institute * {{authority control 1910 establishments in Colorado African-American history of Colorado Former populated places in Weld County, Colorado Ghost towns in Colorado Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado History of Colorado National Register of Historic Places in Weld County, Colorado Populated places established by African Americans Populated places established in 1910 Populated places on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado

See also

References

External links