1877 Nicodemus Settlers Arrive at Ellis - Ellis, KS
Posted by: 
The Snowdog
N 38° 56.278 W 099° 33.631
14S E 451421 N 4310041
This Kansas Historical Marker is at the southeast corner of Gugler Station Park - in Ellis, Kansas.
Waymark Code: WM1CG2G
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 08/16/2025
Views: 0
Gugler Station Park is named for the railroad station that once stood nearby. There are several monuments, memorials, sculptures, and fountains in the park. This Kansas Historical Marker is at the southeast corner of the park. The marker describes the arrival of African-American refugees who were former slaves from Kentucky, where instead of benefiting from equality and prosperity promised by Reconstruction were instead faced with discrimination and poverty. They formed the town of Nicodemus, which the only remaining western community established by African Americans after the Civil War.
The marker includes a photograph of the arriving settlers, a map of this portion of Kansas, and a reproduction of a handbill stating that "All Colored People that want to go to Kansas on September 5, 1877, can do so for $5.00." The marker text is:
In September 1877 approximately 350 African Americans, led by town promoters W. R. Hill and Rev. Roundtree, arrived at Ellis from central Kentucky. Their destination - a new home called Nicodemus, approximately 15 miles to the northwest, in Graham County
Civil Right Type: Race (includes U.S. Civil Rights movement)
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