Dearfield is an extinct town and a historically black majority settlement in

Weld County, Colorado 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 Denv ...

, United States. It is 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 Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

. 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 The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. 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 CHS ID 263 - http://www.coloradohistory.org/RIPsigns/show_markertext.asp?id=864 at U.S. Route 85 mile marker 264 near Evans, Colorado, 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 in Colorado 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