FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 

GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 

Nicodemus National Historic Site 

Kansas 

INTRODUCTION 

The unincorporated town of Nicodemus is in Graham County in the high plains of 

northwestern Kansas. Nicodemus, which is 304 miles west of Kansas City, Kansas, 

and 306 miles east of Denver, Colorado, sits on the south side of U.S. Highway 24. 

Nicodemus is the only remaining western town established by African Americans 

during the Reconstruction period and represents the western expansion and settlement of the Great Plains. The entire platted town site, a national historic district, is 

recognized as a national historic landmark. The town contains modest residences 

and limited commercial services and is surrounded by farms and an open landscape. 

The exposed location of the town is probably the most compelling and consistent 

characteristic. 

The Nicodemus National Historic Site, established in 1996 and administered by the 

National Park Service (NPS), includes five historic structures — the Old First Baptist 

Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Nicodemus District No. 1 

School, the St. Francis Hotel / Fletcher-Switzer Residence, and the Township Hall — 

and their legally defined lots. 

A general management plan has been prepared for Nicodemus National Historic Site 

to articulate a vision for the future that will guide decision-making by current and 

future management teams during the next 10 to 15 years. The plan addresses NPS 

responsibilities at the national historic site and provides guidance for preserving and 

protecting the area's resources. In addition, it guides the development of the new 

park unit and suggests mechanisms to form partnerships for the long-term operation 

of the national historic site. Four alternatives were developed and analyzed, and a 

preferred direction has been selected. 

SELECTED ALTERNATIVE 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship 

Alternative 4 was selected as the alternative preferred by the National Park Service. 

In response to public comments, two minor changes have been made to the alternative. These changes were assessed under alternative 2 and are described below and 

on the attached management area map. 

1 
General Concept 

Nicodemus would retain its character as a living, evolving community, and the public 

would be invited into the community at several areas where onsite interpretation 

would be provided and in-depth stories would be told. The National Park Service 

would present interpretive programs, workshops, and skill development 

opportunities in consultation with community residents and organizations. 

Orientation and Interpretation 

In the original alternative 4, a portion of the Roadside Park would be acquired by the 

National Park Service for the purpose of constructing a visitor contact facility. 

Because of public desires to retain traditional uses at the Roadside Park, this 

proposal has been changed. The National Park Service would lease or build a facility 

for administration and visitor contact as close to the historic site as possible. Orientation to the national historic landmark district and national historic site would be 

provided at this facility. If needed, the National Park Service could lease additional 

facilities to accommodate NPS operations. The Roadside Park would remain in 

township ownership but would be included in the national historic site boundary to 

facilitate cooperative agreements with the Township Board for maintenance of the 

Roadside Park and appropriate access and use by visitors to the national historic site. 

In-depth interpretation of the Nicodemus story would occur around and in the 

historic structures managed by the National Park Service. The National Park Service 

would strive to minimize disruption of the town and cultural landscape in design and 

implementation of facilities and services. 

The National Park Service would consult with the community in preparing a longrange interpretation plan. Additionally, the National Park Service would coordinate 

with the community in exploring the wide variety of media and programs that could 

be offered by the National Park Service and/or jointly with residents and local 

organizations. If community members chose to provide interpretive services, the 

National Park Service would offer interpretation training and assistance to help 

develop their interpretive programs and skills. 

Resource Preservation and Management 

The National Park Service would continue to own the A.M.E. Church. A higher level 

of treatment than stabilization would be anticipated under this alternative for the 

church. The National Park Service would seek to acquire the St. Francis Hotel and 

Nicodemus School from willing sellers/donors. In the original alternative 4, the 

National Park Service would also seek to acquire the Old First Baptist Church. This 

proposal has been changed in response to desires by the congregation that their 

traditional use of the church be reestablished. This church would remain in private 

2 
ownership, and the National Park Service would work with the Nicodemus First 

Baptist Church congregation to obtain grants to rehabilitate the building. Until grant 

monies become available, the National Park Service could still need to stabilize or 

rehabilitate the church building as called for in the original alternative 4. If 

emergency actions are not required, the estimated NPS costs of implementing the 

alternative could be reduced on the order of $100,000. 

The National Park Service would request a cooperative agreement from the 

Township Board to allow some public access to the Township Hall and would 

stabilize the Township Hall if it was in danger of being physically lost. 

The National Park Service would provide appropriate curatorial storage for objects 

associated with Nicodemus and its residents, consistent with objectives of the 

national historic site’s collection management program. Collections would be 

available to residents, researchers, and the general public for investigation and 

viewing, consistent with NPS policies. 

The National Park Service would conduct archeological investigations in the national historic site and national historic landmark district. This information would assist 

in resources management and in the national historic site’s interpretation program. 

Archeological materials would be catalogued, curated, and stored at the historic site. 

Facilities and Development 

Circulation and parking for residents of Nicodemus would remain as they are now. 

Dedicated visitor parking would be provided at orientation sites and some interpretive facilities. Visitor circulation around the sites would be directed to provide a 

cohesive interpretive story. Visitor circulation also would be directed in such a way 

that traditional circulation pathways would not be interrupted. 

Boundary Adjustment 

A minor boundary adjustment (addition) would be required (through congressional 

action) to include the Roadside Park in the national historic site boundary. 

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED 

Alternative 1: No Action 

Under alternative 1 the National Park Service would continue its current management course to preserve and interpret the resources of Nicodemus National Historic 

Site. Visitors would continue to receive orientation to the site and basic interpretation of the Nicodemus story at Township Hall, which is leased for this purpose from 

3 
the Township Board. The National Park Service would continue to own and manage 

the A.M.E. Church. The remaining four structures in the national historic site would 

remain in non-NPS ownership. 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Under alternative 2 Nicodemus would remain a living, evolving community, and the 

National Park Service would retain ownership of the A.M.E. Church only. A site near 

but not in the national historic landmark district would be acquired by the National 

Park Service for the purpose of constructing a visitor contact facility. 

Unless the community chooses otherwise, visitors would see the town function as it 

has traditionally. At the community’s request, the National Park Service would 

provide technical assistance or training in community planning/development, 

interpretation, and cultural resources preservation. Regardless of the eventual level 

of NPS presence onsite, NPS management would strongly focus on community 

decision-making and on noninterference in the living community. 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 

In alternative 3 Nicodemus would function as a learning center where the public 

would experience onsite interpretation and in-depth stories told at a variety of sites. 

Students would have “classroom” opportunities to learn about Nicodemus and its 

lessons and stories. The National Park Service would retain ownership of the A.M.E. 

Church and would seek to acquire the other four historic structures over time. A 

visitor contact facility would be developed at the Roadside Park, which would be 

acquired by the National Park Service. 

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 

The environmentally preferred alternative is the alternative that will promote the 

national environmental policy as expressed in Section 101 of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. According to section 101, the environmentally 

preferred alternative would cause the least damage to the biological and physical 

environment and best protect, preserve, and enhance the cultural and natural 

resources. 

Alternatives 1–4 were evaluated by applying the criteria suggested in the National 

Environmental Policy Act and guided by the Council on Environmental Quality. 

Although all alternatives in the plan rated well, alternatives 3 and 4, which had the 

same overall scores, were found to best meet the criteria. However, because 

alternative 4 outscored alternative 3 on the criterion that directly pertains to the 

4 
National Park Service’s mission (attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the 

environment without degradation, risk of health or safety, or other undesirable and 

unintended consequences), alternative 4 was selected as the environmentally 

preferred alternative. 

WHY THE SELECTED ALTERNATIVE WILL NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT 

EFFECT ON THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT 

As described in the environmental assessment accompanying the general management plan, actions included in the selected alternative, as modified, would result in 

negligible to moderate beneficial or adverse effects. The alternative would result in 

moderate beneficial impacts on historic structures and museum collections to be 

managed by the National Park Service, and there would be minor beneficial impacts 

on the Township Hall, which would remain in town ownership. Minor adverse 

impacts could result from changes in use of some community structures and from 

the likelihood of visitors intruding at times on community activities. There would be 

moderate beneficial effects on the visitor experience, and minor to moderate benefits 

to the local economy. 

None of these impacts constitute a “significant effect on the human environment.” 

As defined in 40 CFR § 1508.27, significance is determined by examining the specific 

criteria discussed below. 

x Impacts that have both beneficial and adverse aspects and which on balance may be 

beneficial, but that may still have significant adverse impacts which require analysis 

in an environmental impact statement. 

Implementation of the selected alternative, as modified, would not result in any 

major adverse impacts. The selected alternative would involve NPS expenditures in the community that would boost the local economy, along with 

potential demand for housing, acquisition of historic properties, and leasing of 

properties within the town for NPS administrative or support facilities. This 

alternative would also encourage an increase in tourism to Nicodemus. There 

would be a potential for economic opportunities for residents to provide a 

variety of services to visitors, and there might also be some temporary job 

opportunities for local labor during the construction of new facilities and the 

preservation of historic structures. Overall, increased economic opportunities 

and NPS and visitor-related expenditures in the community would result in 

minor to moderate, long- and short-term benefits to the local economy. 

On the other hand, this alternative would alter the community’s use of two of 

the currently privately owned historic properties (St. Francis Hotel and 

Nicodemus School) should the National Park Service acquire them, because 

the National Park Service would then manage the use of these buildings. In 

addition, visitation would likely increase under this alternative, and there 

5 
would be an increased likelihood that visitors could at times interfere with or 

impose on community activities associated with the properties. These changes 

in use would result in minor, long-term, adverse impacts on the community’s 

use of these ethnographic resources. 

The alternative includes measures to mitigate the adverse impacts. The 

proposal commits the National Park Service to manage public circulation 

through town in a manner that would minimize disruption to residents and 

calls for developing plans and programs in consultation with the community. 

x Degree of effect on public health or safety. 

Analysis of proposed actions did not reveal the potential for effects on public 

health or safety. 

x Unique characteristics of the geographic area such as proximity to historic or 

cultural resources, park lands, prime farmlands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or 

ecologically critical areas. 

Preservation and treatment of historic and cultural resources at Nicodemus are 

addressed in the selected alternative, and the minor to moderate beneficial 

impacts on those resources are described in the environmental assessment. 

Two soil types considered “prime farmland” by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture occur on the properties in the national historic site. Under the 

selected alternative, soil productivity would be eliminated in areas where new 

development would cover the soil. However, new development is limited and 

would occur in previously disturbed and developed locations in or near the 

town of Nicodemus. Any loss of prime and unique farmlands would be 

minimal and would affect a negligible amount of farmlands in the county. 

No park lands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas 

would be affected. 

x Degree to which effects on the quality of the human environment are likely to be 

highly controversial. 

A variety of issues and concerns were identified during public scoping for the 

general management plan. The most prevalent concern expressed was the 

potential for local residents to lose control over important aspects of their lives 

through federal intervention. Aspects of concern include telling their history in 

ways that respect their traditions, values, and beliefs. Additionally, although 

legislation establishing Nicodemus National Historic Site explicitly protects 

private property rights, some property owners remain concerned that the 

federal government will restrict business opportunities through outright 

condemnation or by controlling development. Many residents expressed their 

6 
desire to work with the National Park Service to preserve Nicodemus in ways 

that reflect their aspirations and beliefs. 

The selected alternative addresses public concerns by committing the National 

Park Service to working closely with the community in planning and decision 

making, and by attempting to provide for continuing traditional activities with 

as little disruption from NPS operations and visitors as possible. Public comment on the draft GMP largely indicated support of the selected alternative 

with the minor modifications reflected in this FONSI. For these reasons, 

actions proposed in the selected alternative and their associated impacts are 

not considered to be highly controversial. 

x Degree to which the possible effects on the quality of the human environment are 

highly uncertain or involve unique or unknown risks. 

Analysis of proposed actions did not reveal the potential for any highly 

uncertain, unique, or unknown risks. Similarly, there were no public comments 

that reflected any such concerns. 

x Degree to which the action may establish a precedent for future actions with 

significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration. 

The selected alternative neither establishes a precedent for future actions with 

significant effects nor represents a decision in principle about a future 

consideration. 

x Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but 

cumulatively significant impacts. 

If the population of Nicodemus continues to decline, the community’s 

character as a living, evolving community would be affected. Also affected 

would be the opportunity for visitors to experience and interact with the 

community as an integral part of their visit. Although implementation of the 

selected alternative could contribute to overall economic and social changes 

(and could be both beneficial and adverse — see discussion above), the 

contributions are expected to be only minor to moderate, depending on the net 

loss of population and its effect on the continued viability of the community. 

x Degree to which the action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, 

or objects listed on National Register of Historic Places or may cause loss or 

destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources. 

As discussed in the environmental assessment, the selected alternative would 

have minor to moderate beneficial effects and only minor adverse effects on 

cultural resources. This alternative would have a moderate, long-term, 

beneficial impact on the NPS-owned A.M.E. Church and the St. Francis Hotel 

7 
and Nicodemus School that would be acquired by the National Park Service, 

and the Old First Baptist Church which would remain in private ownership. 

There would be a minor, long-term, beneficial impact on the Township Hall, 

which would remain in township ownership. Impacts on the cultural landscape 

would be minor, long term, and beneficial due to NPS technical assistance to 

guide long-term preservation of the cultural landscape within the national 

historic landmark district and minor, long term, and adverse if new NPS 

structures were added within the national historic landmark district. Impacts 

on archeological resources would be negligible. 

In accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 

1966, as amended, the National Park Service has consulted with the Kansas 

state historic preservation officer and the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation. In July 1997 letters were sent to both inviting their participation 

and involvement in the process. Copies of the internal draft document were 

shared with both agencies. The Kansas state historic preservation officer 

indicated support of the preferred alternative in a letter dated May 6, 2003. 

x Degree to which the action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened species 

or its critical habitat. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has determined that it is highly unlikely that 

any threatened or endangered species or their habitats occur in the vicinity of 

the national historic site (letter dated August 21, 1997). Consequently, the 

selected alternative will have no effect on any threatened and endangered 

species or designated critical habitat. 

x Whether the action threatens a violation of federal, state, or local environmental 

protection law. 

The selected alternative violates no federal, state, or local environmental laws. 

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 

In summer 1997 the public was notified that a general management plan for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site was getting underway by means of announcements in the media. The opening of the scoping process coincided with the 

Emancipation/Homecoming celebration held in July. Hundreds of people attend this 

special event every year, and many questions, comments, and suggestions were 

gathered from the attendees. Progress reports on the general management plan were 

shared with the public at each of the subsequent Emancipation/Homecoming 

celebrations. 

After preliminary alternatives were crafted, members of the planning team met with 

each of the affected property owners to discuss the planning process. Throughout 

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_______ 

_______ 

_______________________________ 

the process, informal discussions were held with township, county, state government 

officials and representatives from Nicodemus Historical Society. 

During the public review period for the GMP/EA, a public meeting was held in 

Nicodemus the evening of June 30, 2003, in the Township Hall. About 13 citizens 

attended the meeting. Discussion centered on the desire of those present to see the 

visitor contact facility as close as possible to the national historic site and the need to 

continue a relationship with the Township for purposes of visitor use and access to 

the Town Hall and Roadside Park. To gain full advantage of the large group of 

people attending the Nicodemus Emancipation/Homecoming, the public comment 

period was extended until August 15, 2003. During the homecoming celebration 

weekend two presentations were made on the GMP/EA. Total attendance at these 

gatherings was about 60 people. Most of the discussion revolved around specific 

proposals for each of the buildings in the national historic site and general questions 

about national historic site operations and assistance for buildings in the town site 

that fall outside the national historic site boundary. Copies of the GMP/EA and 

comment cards were distributed to the participants. On August 22, at their request, 

NPS staff met with the minister and trustees of the First Baptist Church to discuss the 

GMP alternatives as they related to the Old First Baptist Church. 

Thirty comment cards, three accompanied or followed by letters, were received 

during the public review period. Public comment on the draft GMP largely indicated 

support for the preferred alternative with the modifications as addressed in this 

FONSI. 

CONCLUSION 

The selected alternative does not constitute an action that normally requires 

preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS). The proposal will not have 

a significant effect on the human environment. Negative environmental impacts that 

could occur are minor. There are no unmitigated adverse impacts on public health, 

public safety, threatened or endangered species, sites or districts listed on or eligible 

for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, or other unique characteristics 

of the region. No highly uncertain or controversial impacts, unique or unknown 

risks, cumulative effects, or elements of precedence were identified. Implementation 

of the action will not violate any federal, state, or local environmental protection law. 

Based on the foregoing, it has been determined that an EIS is not required for this 

project and thus will not be prepared. 

Recommended: _______________________________ 

Superintendent, Nicodemus NHS Date 

Approved: 

 Regional Director, Midwest Region Date 

9 
United States Department of the Interior

National Park Service 

Nicodemus National Historic Site

Kansas

Nicodemus National Historic Site

Kansas

Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment
ii
SUMMARY 

The purpose of this general management 

plan is to articulate a vision for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site that 

will guide decision-making by current and 

future management teams during the next 

10 to 15 years. The plan addresses NPS 

responsibilities at the national historic site 

and provides guidance for preserving and 

protecting the area's resources. In 

addition, it guides the development of the 

new park unit and suggests mechanisms to 

form partnerships for the long-term 

operation of the national historic site. 

This alternative would have a minor longterm beneficial impact on the A.M.E. 

Church and a long-term moderate adverse 

impact on the other four non-NPS owned 

historic structures. There would be no 

change in visitor use or experience. 

Visitor intrusions on the community 

would continue to be long term and 

negligible. There would be no change in 

land use or economic opportunities for 

the community. 

Under alternative 2 Nicodemus would 

remain a living, evolving community. 

Unless the community chooses otherwise, 

visitors would see the town function as it 

has traditionally. At the community’s 

request, the National Park Service would 

provide technical assistance or training in 

community planning/development, 

interpretation, and cultural resources 

preservation. Regardless of the eventual 

level of NPS presence onsite, NPS 

management would strongly focus on 

community decision-making and on 

noninterference in the living community. 

As a new unit, Nicodemus National 

Historic Site does not have an overall 

management plan to guide decision 

making. By law (a 1978 amendment to the 

NPS General Authorities Act of 1970), the 

National Park Service is required to 

conduct comprehensive general management planning to guide specific projects, 

to base decisions on adequate information 

and analysis, and to track progress made 

toward goals. The management plan will 

establish the overall direction for 

providing basic services, which include 

interpretation, resource preservation and 

protection, and visitor health and safety. 

There would be moderate, long-term, 

beneficial impact on the NPS-owned 

A.M.E. church and a minor, long-term, 

beneficial impact on the four remaining 

non-NPS owned historic structures. The 

increased likelihood of visitors intruding 

at times on community activities associated with the historic properties could 

result in a minor, long-term, adverse effect 

to the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. There would be a 

minor beneficial effect on the visitor 

experience under alternative 2 and minor, 

long- and short-term benefits to the local 

economy. Adverse impacts on the 

Developing a vision for the site’s future is 

the primary role of the general management plan. Several possible visions for the 

site’s future, called alternatives, have been 

developed and analyzed and a preferred 

direction has been selected. 

Under alternative 1 the National Park 

Service would continue its current 

management course to preserve and 

interpret the resources of Nicodemus 

National Historic Site. 

iii
community from NPS activities and 

visitors would be long term and minor. 

There would be no change in land use. 

In alternative 3 Nicodemus would 

function as a learning center where the 

public would experience onsite interpretation and in-depth stories told at a 

variety of sites. Students would have 

“classroom” opportunities to learn about 

Nicodemus and its lessons and stories. 

The National Park Service would present 

interpretive programs in consultation with 

community residents and organizations. 

Alternative 3 would have a moderate, 

long-term, beneficial impact on the NPSowned A.M.E. church and the other four 

historic structures (St. Francis Hotel, 

Nicodemus School, Township Hall, and 

Old First Baptist Church) that would be 

acquired by the National Park Service. 

Changes in use of the four historic 

properties acquired by the National Park 

Service as well as the increased likelihood 

of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the 

historic properties would result in a 

minor, long-term, adverse effect on the 

community’s use of these ethnographic 

resources. Impacts on museum collections 

would be moderate, long-term, and beneficial. There would be a moderate longterm beneficial effect on the visitor 

experience, and minor to moderate, longand short-term benefits to the local 

economy. Impacts on the community’s 

social environment from NPS activities, 

visitors, students, and land use changes 

would be long term, adverse, and 

moderate. 

Under alternative 4, the National Park 

Service’s preferred alternative, Nicodemus would retain its character as a living, 

evolving community, and the public 

would be invited into the community at 

several areas where onsite interpretation 

would be provided and in-depth stories 

would be told. National Park Service 

would present interpretive programs in 

consultation with community residents 

and organizations. 

Alternative 4 would have a moderate, 

long-term, beneficial impact on the NPSowned A.M.E. church and the St. Francis 

Hotel, Nicodemus School, and Old First 

Baptist Church that would be acquired by 

the National Park Service. There would be 

a minor, long-term, beneficial impact on 

the Township Hall, which would remain 

in town ownership. Changes in use of the 

St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, and 

Old First Baptist Church as well as the 

increased likelihood of visitors intruding 

at times on community activities associated with the historic properties would 

result in a minor long-term adverse effect 

on the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. Impacts on museum 

collections would be moderate, longterm, and beneficial. There would be a 

moderate long-term beneficial effect on 

the visitor experience and beneficial. 

There would be a moderate long-term 

beneficial effect on the visitor experience 

and minor to moderate, long- and shortterm benefits to the local economy. 

Impacts on the community’s social 

environment from NPS activities, visitors, 

students, and land use changes would be 

long term, adverse, and minor. 

iv
CONTENTS 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 1 

History of Nicodemus 2 

Primary Resources 5 

PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PLAN 11 

Purpose of the Plan 11 

Need for the Plan 11 

National Historic Site Purpose, Significance, and Interpretive Themes 13 

Laws, Policies, and Mandates 15 

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 15 

Servicewide Laws and Policies 15 

Recommended Studies Needed 18 

Impact Topics Selected for Further Analysis 19 

Cultural Resources 19 

Visitor Experience 19 

Socioeconomic Environment 19 

Environmental Justice 19 

Impact Topics Eliminated from Further Evaluation 19 

Air Quality 19 

Prime and Unique Farmlands 20 

Vegetation and Wildlife 20 

Threatened and Endangered Species 21 

Floodplains/Wetlands 21 

Water Resources 21 

Wild and Scenic Rivers 21 

Indian Trust Resources 21 

Energy Requirements and Conservation Potential 22 

Land Use Plans 22 

ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 23 

Management Areas 23 

Story Area 23 

Orientation/Support Area 24 

Spiritual Area 25 

Traditional Use Area 25 

Guiding Principles 26 

Alternative 1: No Action 27 

Alternative Concept 27 

Orientation and Interpretation 27 

Resource Preservation and Management 28 

v
Facilities and Development 28 

Staffing and Operations 28 

Costs 28 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 31 

Alternative Concept 31 

Management Areas 31 

Orientation and Interpretation 31 

Resource Preservation and Management 32 

Facilities and Development 32 

Boundary Adjustment 35 

Staffing and Operations 35 

Costs 35 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 36 

Alternative Concept 36 

Management Areas 36 

Orientation and Interpretation 36 

Resource Preservation and Management 37 

Facilities and Development 38 

Boundary Adjustment 38 

Staffing and Operations 41 

Costs 41 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 42 

Alternative Concept 42 

Management Areas 42 

Orientation and Interpretation 42 

Resource Preservation and Management 43 

Facilities and Development 43 

Boundary Adjustment 44 

Staffing and Operations 47 

Costs 47 

Mitigation 54 

Environmentally Preferred Alternative 54 

Alternatives Considered and Eliminated from Further Evaluation 56 

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 59 

Cultural Resources 59 

Historic Structures 59 

Cultural Landscapes 59 

Ethnographic Resources 61 

Archeological Sites 61 

National Historic Site Collections 62 

Visitor Experience 62 

Socioeconomic Environment 63 

Population and Economy 63 

vi
Landownership and Use 64 

Access and Orientation 64 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 65 

Introduction 65 

Methodology 65 

Cultural Resources Intensity Definitions 66 

Visitor Experience Intensity Definitions 70 

Socioeconomic Environment Intensity Definitions 70 

Cumulative Impacts 71 

Impairment of National Historic Site Resources or Values 71 

Impacts on Cultural Resources 72 

Alternative 1: No Action 72 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 73 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 75 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 77 

Impacts on the Visitor Experience 79 

Alternative 1: No Action 79 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 80 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 80 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 81 

Impacts on the Socioeconomic Environment 81 

Alternative 1: No Action 81 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 82 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 83 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 84 

CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION / PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 86 

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation 87 

Appendix B: Fish And Wildlife Service Letter of Findings on Threatened and 

Endangered Species 90 

Glossary 91 

References 94 

Preparers and Consultants 95 

vii
Maps 

Vicinity 3

Alternative 1 29

Alternative 2 33 

Alternative 3 39

Alternative 4 45

Tables 

Table 1. Cost Estimates, Alternative 1 31

Table 2. Cost Estimates, Alternative 2 36

Table 3. Cost Estimates, Alternative 3 41

Table 4. Cost Estimates, Alternative 4 47

Table 5. Summary of the Alternatives 48

Table 6. Environmentally Preferred Alternative Analysis 55

Table 7. Summary of Impacts 57 

Figures 

1. Aerial view of Nicodemus, Kansas, 1999. x 

2. The Old First Baptist Church as it appears today. 7 

3. The St. Francis Hotel / Fletcher Switzer residence has served many functions over the 

years. 7 

4. Main entrance , Nicodemus District No. 1 School. 9 

5. The African Methodist Episcopal Church. 9 

6. The historic Township Hall is the temporary home of the NPS visitor contact 

 facility. 10 

7. Part of an Emancipation/Homecoming parade. 14 

8. Few structures obstruct the Kansas countryside. 60 

9. The Nicodemus Township Hall and NPS visitor contact facility. 63 

viii

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 

The unincorporated town of Nicodemus 

is in Graham County in the high plains of 

northwestern Kansas. Nicodemus, which 

is 304 miles west of Kansas City, Kansas, 

and 306 miles east of Denver, Colorado, 

sits on the south side of U.S. Highway 24. 

It is 39 miles north of Interstate 70. The 

nearest commercial air service is at Hays, 

Kansas, which is 60 miles southeast of 

Nicodemus (see Vicinity map). 

Nicodemus lies open to the surrounding 

countryside, with little vegetation to 

obstruct vistas of the plains. As was typical 

of towns platted in the post Civil War 

period, Nicodemus assumed the grid 

pattern imposed by the General Land 

Office survey. Streets, roads, property 

lines, and fences were oriented along the 

compass directions, with only minor 

concessions to topography and 

watercourses. 

Nicodemus is the only remaining western 

town established by African Americans 

during the Reconstruction period and 

represents the western expansion and 

settlement of the Great Plains. 

Typical of western settlements of its time, 

most of those who came to Nicodemus in 

those first migrations (1877-1880) came to 

farm. The town of Nicodemus provided 

services to the outlying community as a 

center for worship, school, government, 

and commerce. The "core" of the historic 

community soon included the (Old) First 

Baptist and African Methodist Episcopal 

(A.M.E) Churches; Nicodemus District 

No 1 School; Township Hall; and the St. 

Francis Hotel/Fletcher-Switzer residence 

(which also served as the site of the town's 

first Post Office and livery stable). Today, 

there are about 40 additional buildings 

within the town, including public facilities 

such as the fire station, the municipal 

garage, the Nicodemus Historical Society 

building, and a residential complex 

developed by the U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban Development for 

low-income residents of Nicodemus. 

Most of the remaining structures are oneor 11⁄2-story frame residences, simple in 

style, and with very little architectural 

detailing. Several of the residential 

structures are vacant. Farmsteads, 

cemeteries, and ruins are scattered 

throughout the township. 

Historically, the Nicodemus community 

included members of the outlying agricultural area and those in town where 

they shared churches, a school, government, and commercial services. Today 

many people living within the outlying 

township and in other parts of Graham 

County, such as Hill City and Bogue, have 

family in Nicodemus. Kinship ties extend 

beyond the region to all areas of the 

nation, pulling family members back to 

Nicodemus for the Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations, funerals, and 

other occasions. This association with the 

place continues as one of the strongest 

characteristics of the Nicodemus 

community. 

The people of Nicodemus have observed 

the Emancipation/ Homecoming annually 

from 1878 to the present. Originally called 

the Emancipation Celebration, the observance celebrated the emancipation of 

slaves by the British in the West Indies in 

1834. Over the intervening years the event 

1
has evolved into a mass family reunion 

and is now more commonly referred to as 

Homecoming. Several hundred 

descendants return to Nicodemus on the 

last weekend of July each year to 

participate in this gathering. For the farflung descendants, it has become an 

essential part of life, a way of renewing 

family ties and maintaining a physical 

connection with a proud heritage. 

Programmed activities include a parade, 

dances, carnival rides, spiritual songs, a 

fashion show, and much more.

HISTORY OF NICODEMUS 

In the years following the Emancipation 

Proclamation, African Americans 

throughout the South struggled to 

establish social, political, and economic 

equality. As years passed, however, they 

repeatedly rediscovered the sad truth that 

for most of them, the promised equality 

was elusive, if not impossible, in the 

South. When newly inaugurated President 

Rutherford B. Hayes fulfilled an election 

promise (1877) by withdrawing federal 

troops from the South, the Reconstruction era officially ended, and with it the 

hopes of many African Americans for 

equality in the South within their lifetimes. 

Believing they could only find economic, 

social, and political equality within a 

community of their peers, many traveled 

to the West in search of the American 

dream. 

Among the first of the communities that 

these equality seekers established in the 

west was Nicodemus, Kansas. The first 

groups arrived in 1877; initially a small 

party arrived in July, followed two months 

later by a group of some 350 weary 

African American emigrants recruited 

from Lexington, Kentucky. In stark 

contrast to the wooded hills of their native 

Kentucky, the emigrants found that the 

"promised land" was desolate and 

forbidding, with only a scattering of trees 

along the Solomon River. Disheartened, 

about 60 families immediately returned 

eastward in search of more familiar 

surroundings and better economic 

prospects. Yet most remained, and despite 

hardships, helped to establish Nicodemus, 

Kansas, one of the oldest and most 

famous African American communities in 

the Midwest. Ultimately, African 

American groups, primarily from 

Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi, 

formed the Nicodemus community. 

According to the U.S. Census, there were 

260 African American settlers living in 

Nicodemus Township by 1880. 

The freedmen had a clear set of priorities 

as they sought their future in the years 

following emancipation. The first was the 

reestablishment of home and family. 

Many newly freed African Americans 

searched the country to locate loved ones 

separated by sale/ slavery or war. During 

the decades that followed, the establishment of strong family ties brought with it 

an attachment or association to the place 

where the family was centered. 

The next priority for most 19th century 

African Americans during the postemancipation period was participation in 

organized religious activities. Before 

emancipation, many slaveholders 

encouraged enslaved people to participate 

in religious services either in the rear of 

white churches or in separate services 

held in the slave quarters. These services, 

however, were generally designed to teach 

the slave that slavery was a proper and 

natural institution and that he or she was 

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NEBRASKA

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VICINITY MAP

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Nicodemus

National Historic Site

 NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / KANSAS

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 

Denver

Omaha

Lincoln

Kansas City

St. Louis

Des Moines

NORTH

DSC / MAY, 03 / 030 / 20,001
back of map 

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to accept slavery and the dictums of the 

master. Finding such teachings unacceptable, African American ministers began to 

form congregations even before emancipation. In addition to ministering to the 

African Americans' spiritual needs, these 

nascent congregations became centers of 

African American social and political life; 

in fact, it was by way of the religious communities that many freedmen learned of 

the new African American communities 

being established in the West. Two 

religious congregations formed early in 

the Nicodemus community: the (Old) 

First Baptist Church formed shortly after 

the initial settlement, and the African 

Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church 

was organized in 1879. 

After religion, education was another high 

priority for most African Americans. Some 

African Americans sought education as 

the means to create a better life for themselves and their children. Others saw 

education as a way to achieve the political 

equality promised by federal civil rights 

laws beginning with the Emancipation 

Proclamation, but enforced in the South 

only when backed by the presence of 

military forces. Still others simply wanted 

to read the Bible once before they died. As 

early as 1879, Mr. and Mrs. Zachary 

Fletcher provided schooling at their sod 

hotel in Nicodemus. The first dedicated 

schoolhouse was erected on Fourth Street 

in 1887. When that school burned, the 

current structure — Nicodemus District 

No. 1 School — was built in its place in 

1918. 

The need to earn a living and become selfsufficient was inextricably tied to the 

other African American values. Although 

studies of Reconstruction clearly detail 

the willingness of freedmen to work hard, 

Southern freedmen were barely able to 

make ends meet, let alone save money. 

The plantation owners continued to 

dominate the Southern economic system, 

and ensured a new order in which 

freedmen were still dependent upon the 

landowning whites. In addition to 

codified economic inequities, African 

Americans were subject to terrorizing (or 

"bulldozing") inflicted by the Ku Klux 

Klan. When the developers of western 

towns encouraged freedmen to go to 

Kansas to establish their farms and 

businesses, many heard the call. Among 

the first were Reverend John Samuels, 

who made and repaired shoes for the 

residents of Nicodemus. Z.T. Fletcher 

opened a general store in the fall of 1877. 

By 1879, the town had a store, two livery 

stables, a real estate office, a drug store, 

and a hotel. 

An undeniable attraction of Nicodemus 

was the opportunity to participate in local 

government. Discriminatory voting 

requirements and outright violence kept 

many free men and freedmen from the 

polls in the South. In contrast, Nicodemus 

residents were heavily involved in politics 

from the very beginning, and held township and county posts. In 1879, the township elected African Americans to be 

Justice of the Peace, Township Clerk, and 

Roads Overseer. County elections in 1880 

installed African American men as court 

clerk, county attorney, and county 

commissioners. 

PRIMARY RESOURCES 

Nicodemus is an unincorporated town of 

about 20 residents. The entire platted 

town site is recognized as a national 

historic landmark (a national historic 

5
district). The town contains modest 

residences and limited commercial 

services and is surrounded by an open 

farming landscape. The exposed location 

of the town is probably the most compelling and consistent characteristic. 

The Nicodemus National Historic Site, 

established in 1996 (see appendix A) and 

administered by the National Park Service 

(NPS), includes five historic structures 

(the Old First Baptist Church, the African 

Methodist Episcopal Church, Nicodemus 

District No. 1 School, the St. Francis 

Hotel / Fletcher-Switzer Residence, and 

Township Hall) and their legally defined 

lots. 

The Old First Baptist Church (figure 2). 

Several structures in succession, all at the 

same location, housed the congregation of 

the First Baptist Church from its founding 

in 1877 to the present. The group initially 

worshipped in a dugout, which was replaced by a soddie, another dugout, and 

eventually a small limestone structure. 

The current structure, an L-shaped 

building with intersecting gable roofs, was 

completed in 1907. The exterior walls are 

limestone, and the structure was coated 

with stucco circa 1940; a 1960 addition 

features concrete unit masonry covered 

with stucco. The building has several 

irregularly spaced and shaped buttresses 

of limestone rubble coated with stucco. 

An articulated vestibule at the intersection 

of the ell segments marks the entrance to 

the church. 

St. Francis Hotel / Fletcher-Switzer 

Residence (figure 3). Zachary Taylor 

Fletcher built the initial 1-1⁄2 story stone 

structure in 1880 and used it as a residence and a hotel/stagecoach station. The 

main portion features stucco-covered 

limestone bearing walls. The main 

entrance is on the northeast corner. There 

are wood frame additions on the north 

and south elevations. Windows are 

generally one-over-one double-hung with 

wood frames in various sizes. The first 

floor of the original structure included a 

living and dining area, and the second 

story provided two guest rooms. The 1924 

addition (i.e., the east end of the structure) 

provided more living spaces, kitchen, and 

bathroom on the first floor, and a new 

staircase and bedroom on the second 

floor. Later additions provided additional 

bedroom and storage space and front and 

back porches. 

6
7

Figure 2: The Old First Baptist Church as it appears today. 

Figure 3: The St. Francis Hotel / Fletcher-Sw itzer residence has served many functions over 

the years. 
Nicodemus District No. 1 School (figure 

4). Nicodemus was the first community in 

Graham County, Kansas, to establish a 

school district and school. The existing 

school building was constructed in 1918 

after a fire destroyed its predecessor. The 

single-story wood-frame school is square 

in plan with a wood-shingle hipped roof. 

A porch on the east elevation marks the 

main entry to the building. The school 

property also contains a one-story gableroofed shed. The structures are 

surrounded by a large playground and 

open space. This property will be referred 

to as the Nicodemus School in this 

document. 

The African Methodist Episcopal 

(A.M.E.) Church (figure 5). Area residents 

founded this church in 1879. Members 

initially met in a sod structure; in 1885 the 

sod church was replaced with a limestone 

structure. In 1910 the congregation 

moved into an existing church structure in 

Block 11 that was previously owned by the 

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. In the 1920s 

the congregation changed a window to a 

doorway and added a vestibule to provide 

protection against the wind. They 

continued to use the structure as a church 

until circa 1940. Mr. Alvin Bates acquired 

the structure for storage purposes in the 

1950s. 

The A.M.E. Church has exterior 

limestone walls that, like other stone 

buildings in Nicodemus, were covered 

with stucco in the 1940s. Rectangular in 

plan, the single-story structure has a 

gabled roof, as does the vestibule with 

double doors on the east elevation. The 

south elevation has four regularly spaced 

windows; the north elevation was similar 

but collapsed and was replaced with 

plywood on stud walls. 

Township Hall (figure 6). The Works 

Progress Administration constructed the 

single-story Township Hall of locally 

quarried limestone in 1939. The 

rectangular building is three bays wide 

and six bays long. The gabled roof is 

covered with asphalt shingles and has 

exposed false rafter ends but no gutters. A 

gabled vestibule projects from the south 

(front) elevation. Nonhistoric doors are 

centered on the main entry, with a 

window on either side. Large metal-frame 

windows are along the east and west side 

elevations. The load-bearing walls are 

randomly sized rock-faced limestone with 

buttresses on the east and west. The roof 

has a steel scissors truss structure with 

wood beams, wood decking, and asphalt 

shingles. The Township Hall, owned by 

the Township Board, serves as the current 

NPS visitor contact facility. 

8
 9 

Figure 4: Main entrance, Nicodemus District No. 1 School. 

Figure 5: The African Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 10 

Figure 6: The historic Tow nship Hall is the temporary home of the NPS visitor contact 

facility. 
PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PLAN 

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN 

The purpose of the general management 

plan is to articulate a vision for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site that 

will guide decision-making by current and 

future management teams during the next 

10 to 15 years. (NPS policy describes 

general management plans as establishing 

the management direction for a national 

park system unit for the next 15 to 20 

years, but in the case of a new unit, the 

timeline may be shortened.)The plan 

addresses NPS responsibilities at the 

national historic site and provides guidance for the preservation and protection 

of the area's resources. In addition, it 

guides the development of the new park 

unit and suggests mechanisms to form 

partnerships for the long-term operation 

of the national historic site. The plan 

establishes the management direction for 

providing basic services, which include 

interpretation, resource preservation and 

protection, and visitor health and safety. 

Developing a vision for the site’s future is 

the primary role of the general management plan. Several possible visions for the 

site’s future, called alternatives, are 

generally developed and analyzed before a 

preferred direction is selected. 

Although an environmental impact statement is normally prepared to accompany 

a general management plan, an exception 

has been made in the case of this plan. 

Early in this process environmental 

impacts were screened and a determination was made that no significant environmental impacts would be anticipated as a 

result of implementing any of the alternatives, and so this plan is accompanied by 

an environmental assessment. 

NEED FOR THE PLAN 

The Secretary of the Interior designated 

Nicodemus, Kansas, a national historic 

landmark district on January 7, 1976. The 

designation recognized Nicodemus' 

exceptional significance as the only 

remaining Reconstruction-era western 

town established by African Americans, 

and for its ability to represent western 

expansion and the settlement of the Great 

Plains. Since the designation, two buildings were lost due to extreme deterioration. The integrity of the remaining 

contributing resources is sufficient to 

support the national historic landmark 

district designation, but the continued 

deterioration and potential loss of these 

resources could limit the ability of the 

physical features to convey the significance of Nicodemus in American history. 

A special resource study (NPS 1993) 

recommended federal involvement to 

preserve the historic and cultural 

resources and to interpret the significance 

of Nicodemus. 

Congress authorized Nicodemus National 

Historic Site on November 12, 1996, with 

the passage of Public Law 104-333. The 

law directed the National Park Service to 

“preserve, protect, and interpret . . . [the 

site's primary resources]” and “to 

interpret the historical role of the town of 

Nicodemus in the Reconstruction period 

in the context of the experience of westward expansion in the United States.” 

11
No previous general management plan for 

Nicodemus has been prepared. The 

National Park Service is subject to a 

number of legal requirements for 

planning, all intended to support the best 

possible decision making. By law, the 

National Park Service is required to 

conduct comprehensive general 

management planning to guide specific 

projects, to base decisions on adequate 

information and analysis, and to track 

progress made toward goals. 

A variety of issues and concerns were 

identified by the general public, the NPS 

staff, and other agencies during scoping 

for this Draft General Management Plan. 

Nicodemus descendants expressed a 

broad range of concerns, perceptions, and 

aspirations similar to those expressed by 

similar communities at the beginning of 

close relationships with the federal 

government. The most prevalent concern 

expressed is the potential for losing 

control over important aspects of their 

lives through federal intervention. This 

includes telling their history in ways that 

respect their traditions, values, and 

beliefs. Parallel with the desire to control 

telling their story is their frequently stated 

frustration that authors and researchers 

having no family ties with Nicodemus 

“make money” by obtaining “free” 

information from descendants; some feel 

that the NPS oral history projects 

continue that trend. 

Continued deterioration of historic 

structures seriously concerns the 

descendants, because this deterioration 

diminishes the community’s sense of 

connection with a proud heritage. 

Although the National Park Service has 

discussed federal planning and funding 

processes at various public meetings, 

some Nicodemus descendants feel that 

progress toward preserving historic 

structures and national historic site 

development has been too slow. 

Although legislation establishing 

Nicodemus National Historic Site 

explicitly protects their property rights, 

some property owners and nascent 

entrepreneurs remain concerned that the 

federal government will restrict their 

business opportunities through outright 

condemnation or by controlling development. The potential for unsought, undesirable influences on the annual Emancipation/Homecoming celebrations and 

other traditional activities by the National 

Park Service was also occasionally voiced. 

On a positive note, many residents 

expressed their desire to work with the 

National Park Service to preserve Nicodemus in ways that reflect their aspirations and beliefs. Others hope that NPS 

development can be leveraged to enhance 

business opportunities in Nicodemus in 

ways leading to its renaissance. 

On the basis of the public comments and 

agency concerns, the following decisions 

need to be addressed by this general 

management plan. 

How can the National Park Service 

respect the needs of the community for 

privacy, and balance it with the desires 

of visitors to explore the town site? 

Treatment of historic structures is 

urgent due to their accelerated rate of 

deterioration, which in some cases 

poses serious health and safety 

concerns. The plan needs to identify 

appropriate preservation strategies and 

uses for all structures. 

12
The National Park Service must 

establish the infrastructure necessary to 

support national historic site management. In what ways might this damage 

or alter the cultural landscape? 

Interpret the historical role of the town 

of Nicodemus in the Reconstruction 

period in the context of the experience 

of westward expansion in the United 

States. 

Appropriate and sustainable partnerships are needed for resource protection and interpretation of the 

historic site. What are the respective 

roles of the National Park Service and 

others? 

Statements of significance clearly define 

the most important things about national 

historic site resources and values based on 

the site’s purpose. They create a tool that 

managers can use in setting resource 

protection priorities and in identifying 

primary site interpretive themes and 

desirable visitor experiences. This helps 

managers and staffs focus their efforts and 

limited funding on the preservation and 

enjoyment of those attributes that directly 

contribute to the purpose of the site and 

that must be protected. Nicodemus is 

significant for the following reasons:

The national historic site boundary 

does not include the entire national 

historic landmark district. The national 

historic site currently lacks sufficient 

property within its legal boundary to 

fulfill significant management 

functions, such as public parking and 

facilities for administrative offices. 

At the end of Reconstruction, 

Nicodemus was platted as an African 

American community in rejection of 

the rampant racism of the post%Civil 

War South and a key aspect of African 

Americans' struggle to overcome 

obstacles to social, economic, and 

political equality. 

NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 

PURPOSE, SIGNIFICANCE, AND 

INTERPRETIVE THEMES 

The reasons for which the national 

historic site was set aside as part of the 

national park system provide the most 

fundamental criteria against which the 

appropriateness of all plan recommendations, operational decisions, and actions 

are tested. The enabling legislation 

defined two purposes for Nicodemus 

National Historic Site: 

Nicodemus is a symbol of the African 

American pioneer spirit. It is the only 

western town established by African 

Americans at the end of Reconstruction that still remains, it represents a 

largely untold aspect of the story of 

western expansion and the settlement 

Preserve, protect, and interpret, for the of the Great Plains. 

benefit and enjoyment of present and 

future generations, the remaining 

structures and locations that represent 

the history (including the settlement 

and growth) of the town of 

Nicodemus, Kansas. 

Nicodemus is one of the oldest continuously occupied African American 

towns in the West. 

The resources of Nicodemus represent 

the five pillars of many African 

13
 14

American communities, during the late 

19th and 20th centuries: family/home, 

church, school, business, and traditions 

of mutual assistance that evolved into 

local government. 

The national historic landmark district 

designation was an important precursor to 

a 1993 special resource study to determine 

the suitability and feasibility of adding the 

Nicodemus Historic Landmark District to 

the national park system. The study concluded that the historic district represented six nationally significant historic 

themes: “Ethnic Communities, Poverty 

Relief and Social Reform, Civil Rights 

Movements, Reconstruction Era, 

Farmer's Frontier, and Farming Communities.” The following primary interpretive themes were developed to expand 

on the national themes and to guide 

public understanding of the site’s 

significance: 

Nicodemus arose from the efforts of an 

organized group of African Americans 

who wanted to create a supportive, 

viable, African American community, 

relying on the values of home life, 

education, religion, hard work, and the 

social, religious, and political organizations that grew out of a tradition of 

mutual assistance. 

The settlement of Nicodemus 

represents a determination to escape 

rampant racism; the loss of federal 

support and protection for African 

American citizens in the South at the 

end of Reconstruction allowed and 

encouraged an increase in institutional 

racism, social injustice, and violence. 

The continuous occupancy of Nicodemus, Kansas, portrays African 

American perseverance and the struggle of African American emigrants as 

they journeyed west into an unknown 

and often difficult physical environment to participate in the American 

Dream. 

The annual Emancipation Celebration 

began in 1878 and continues today as 

the Homecoming Celebration. It is an 

African American traditional celebration that fosters the renewal of family 

and communities with the physical 

place of Nicodemus and with its 

residents, offsite descendants, and the 

African American community at large. 

Nicodemus represents far more than a 

physical place with historical 

significance. It serves as a focal point 

for all people to renew spiritual and 

emotional connections to family, 

community, and ancestors through this 

African American experience. 

Figure 7. Part of an Emancipation/ 

Homecoming parade. 
LAWS, POLICIES, AND MANDATES 

Special Mandates and 

Administrative Commitments 

The law that established Nicodemus 

National Historic Site (Public Law 104-

333) contained special mandates and 

authorities for administration of the 

historic site: 

The National Park Service may enter 

into cooperative agreements with 

individuals, public or private agencies, 

organizations, or institutions in order 

to further the purposes of the historic 

site. Further, the National Park Service 

may provide technical assistance for 

the preservation of historic structures 

and maintenance of cultural landscapes 

in the historic site. 

The National Park Service may acquire 

by donation, exchange, or purchase 

lands necessary for interpretation, 

preservation, or restoration of 

structures within the historic site with 

the following limitations: property 

owned by the State of Kansas or a 

political subdivision of the state may 

only be acquired by donation; no 

property may be acquired without the 

consent of the owner of that property. 

Servicewide Laws and Policies 

As with all units of the national park 

system, management of Nicodemus 

National Historic Site is guided by the 

1916 act creating the National Park 

Service and other applicable laws and 

regulations, such as the National Historic 

Preservation Act and the National 

Environmental Policy Act, as well as NPS 

management policies. Many resource 

conditions and some aspects of visitor 

experience are prescribed by these 

mandates and policies. Although full 

attainment of these conditions may be 

deferred because of funding or staffing 

limitations, the National Park Service will 

continue to strive to implement these 

mandates and policies. The conditions 

prescribed by laws, regulations, and 

policies most pertinent to the planning 

and management of the historic site are 

summarized in this section. 

Cultural Resource Management Requirements 

Historic Resources. Current laws and policies require that the following 

conditions be achieved for historic properties (e.g., buildings, cultural landscapes): 

Desired Condition Source 

Historic resources will be 

inventoried and their significance 

and integrity evaluated. The 

qualities that contribute to the 

listing or eligibility for listing of 

historic properties on the national 

register as well as those qualities 

National Historic Preservation Act; Executive 

Order 11593; Archeological and Historic 

Preservation Act; the Secretary of the Interior’s 

Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and 

Historic Preservation; Secretary of the Interior’s 

Standards for the Treatment of Historic 

Properties, with Guidelines for the Treatment of 

15
Desired Condition (cont.) Source (cont.) 

that contribute to the national 

historic landmark will be protected 

in accordance with the Secretary of 

the Interior’s Standards (unless it is 

determined through a formal 

process that disturbance or natural 

deterioration is unavoidable). 

Cultural Landscapes; programmatic 

memorandum of agreement among the National 

Park Service, the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation, and the National Council of State 

Historic Preservation Officers (1995); NPS 

Management Policies 2001, DO-28: “Cultural 

Resource Management Guidelines” (1994). 

Ethnographic Resources. Certain contemporary American Indian and other 

communities are permitted by law, regulation, or policy to pursue customary 

religious, subsistence, and other cultural uses of NPS resources with which they are 

traditionally associated. Recognizing that its resource protection mandate might 

affect this human use and cultural context of historic/ethnographic resources, the 

National Park Service plans and executes programs in ways to safeguard cultural and 

natural resources while reflecting informed concern for contemporary peoples and 

cultures traditionally associated with them. 

Desired Condition Source 

Appropriate cultural anthropological 

research will be conducted in 

cooperation with groups associated 

with the national historic site. 

National Historic Preservation Act; Advisory 

Council for Historic Preservation 

implementing regulations; NPS Management 

Policies 2001; Director’s Order 28 “Cultural 

Resources Management Guidelines”

Other federal agencies, state and 

local governments, potentially 

affected American Indian and other 

communities, interested groups, the 

state historic preservation officer, 

and the Advisory Council on 

Historic Preservation will be given 

opportunities to become informed 

about and comment on anticipated 

NPS actions at the earliest 

practicable time. 

National Historic Preservation Act; programmatic memorandum of agreement among the 

National Park Service, the Advisory Council on 

Historic Preservation, and the National 

Council of State Historic Preservation Officers 

(1995); Executive Order 11593; American 

Indian Religious Freedom Act; Native 

American Graves Protection and Repatriation 

Act; Executive Order 13007 on American 

Indian Sacred Sites, Presidential memorandum 

of April 29, 1994, on government-togovernment relations with tribal governments; 

NPS Management Policies 2001 

The identities of community 

consultants and information about 

sacred and other culturally sensitive 

places and practices will be kept 

confidential when research 

agreements or other circumstances 

warrant. 

National Historic Preservation Act; NPS 

Management Policies 2001 

 

16
Desired Condition (cont.) Source (cont.) 

American Indians and other 

individuals and groups linked by ties 

of kinship or culture to ethnically 

identifiable human remains, sacred 

objects, objects of cultural patrimony 

and associated funerary objects will 

be consulted when such items may 

be disturbed or are encountered on 

national historic site lands. 

NPS Management Policies 2001; Native 

American Graves Protection and Repatriation 

Act 

Archeological Resources. Current laws and policies require that the following 

conditions be achieved in the national park system units: 

Desired Condition Source 

Archeological sites will be identified and 

inventoried, and their significance will be 

determined and documented. Archeological 

sites will be protected in an undisturbed 

condition unless it is determined through 

formal processes that disturbance or natural 

deterioration is unavoidable. When 

disturbance or deterioration is unavoidable, 

the site will be professionally documented 

and salvaged in consultation with the state 

historic preservation officer and affected 

contemporary groups. 

National Historic Preservation Act; 

Executive Order 11593; Archeological 

Resources Protection Act; the Secretary 

of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines 

for Archeology and Historic Preservation;

programmatic memorandum of 

agreement among the National Park 

Service, the Advisory Council on 

Historic Preservation, and the National 

Council of State Historic Preservation 

Officers (1995); NPS Management 

Policies 2001; Director’s Order 28

“Cultural Resources Management 

Guidelines”

Collections. Current laws and policies require that the following conditions be 

achieved for museum collections: 

Desired Condition Source 

All museum objects and manuscripts will be 

identified and inventoried, and their significance 

will be determined and documented. 

The qualities that contribute to the significance 

of collections will be protected in accordance 

with established standards. 

National Historic Preservation Act; 

American Religious Freedom Act; 

Archeological and Historic 

Preservation Act; Archeological 

Resources Protection Act; Native 

American Graves Protection and 

Repatriation Act; NPS Management 

Policies 2001; Director’s Order 28

“Cultural Resources Management 

Guidelines”

17
Desired Condition (cont.) Source (cont.) 

NPS museum collections will inform and 

enhance every aspect of work at the national 

historic site — from resource management and 

interpretation to research and public accountability. Museum objects will be featured in 

exhibits, interpretive programs, films, and print 

and electronic publications. Museum 

collections will be key resources for educators, 

students, researchers, NPS managers and 

neighbors, and the general public. Accessibility 

of museum collections will be a prime 

component of museum management. 

Director’s Order 24, “NPS Museum 

Collections Management” 

RECOMMENDED STUDIES NEEDED Archeological Identification/ Evaluation 

Studies: These studies are more 

detailed and identify the locations and 

some of the characteristics of all or a 

sample of archeological resources in a 

particular area. These studies are 

frequently linked with archeological 

overviews and assessments to resolve 

management and interpretive concerns. At Nicodemus, these studies 

could greatly enhance professional 

scholarship nationwide by focusing on 

the analysis of material culture related 

to early Black pioneer settlement in the 

West and community development. 

Baseline research reports provide 

information that can serve a variety of 

purposes, from planning to interpretation. 

A cultural landscape report and a historic 

structures report have been completed for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site (Bahr 

Vermeer Haecker Architects, Ltd. 2002 

and 2003). The cultural landscape report 

focuses on identifying features that 

contribute to the historic significance of 

the national historic site properties and 

the national historic landmark, as well as 

providing guidelines on managing landscape change. The historic structures 

report provides stabilization recommendations for the five historic structures. 

The following studies are recommended 

for completion at Nicodemus National 

Historic Site: 

Historic Resource Study (HRS): A 

historic resource study provides a 

historical overview of a park or region 

and identifies and evaluates a park 

unit's cultural resources within historic 

contexts. 

Archeological Overview and Assessment: 

This report describes and assesses the 

known and potential archeological 

resources in a park unit area, assesses 

past work, and helps determine the 

need for and design of future studies. 

Scope of Collection Statement: This is a 

museum management document 

required for all national park system 

units. Evolving from legislation and 

planning documents specific to each 

unit, it guides acquisition and preservation of those museum objects that 

18
contribute directly to interpretation Socioeconomic Environment 

and understanding of the unit’s themes, 

as well as any additional objects that 

the National Park Service is legally 

mandated to preserve. 

The alternatives provide various levels of 

development and use of the national 

historic site that would affect visitation 

and the type and location of facilities. 

There could be differences in the 

economic benefit to and social 

environment of the local community. The 

alternatives could also affect local land use 

in the community. 

Traditional Use and Ethnographic 

Landscape Study: This study looks at 

how the Nicodemus community 

historically used the landscape and the 

values they placed on different parts of 

the landscape. Personal interviews and 

oral histories will be useful in gathering 

this information. Environmental Justice 

Executive Order 12898 requires federal 

agencies to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human 

health and environmental effects on 

minority and low-income populations. 

The African American community of 

Nicodemus would be the primary 

population affected by the alternatives. 

Impacts to the economic and social 

environment of Nicodemus are addressed 

under the socioeconomic environment 

impact topic. 

IMPACT TOPICS SELECTED FOR 

FURTHER ANALYSIS 

To analyze a mix of future visions 

(alternatives) for the national historic site, 

specific resources and values that could be 

affected by the different alternatives were 

identified. These resources and values, 

called impact topics, were used to focus 

the planning process and assessment of 

potential consequences of the alternatives. 

Cultural Resources IMPACT TOPICS ELIMINATED 

FROM FURTHER EVALUATION 

Cultural resources associated with the 

national historic site that may be affected 

by the alternatives include historic 

structures, cultural landscapes, 

ethnographic resources, archeological 

resources, and museum collections. 

The topics discussed below will not be 

addressed further in this document for the 

reasons outlined under each topic 

heading. 

Air Quality 

Visitor Experience 

There would be some short-term, 

localized impacts on air quality resulting 

from particulates or machinery fumes 

generated during construction or 

rehabilitation of facilities under the 

All action alternatives propose changes in 

the way visitors would use and experience 

the resources of the national historic site. 

19
alternatives. With implementation of 

mitigation measures (e.g., watering and 

revegetation of disturbed areas, requiring 

machinery to meet emission standards) 

site-specific impacts would be negligible. 

Under all of the alternatives, soil productivity would be eliminated in areas where 

development covers the soil. However, 

new development is limited under all of 

the alternatives and would occur primarily 

in previously disturbed and developed 

locations within the town of Nicodemus; 

no agricultural lands would be affected. 

Soils in these areas have already been lost 

or highly altered, adversely affecting their 

productivity. Construction of a new visitor contact or administrative facility could 

occur along U.S. Highway 24 outside of, 

but adjacent to the town under some of 

the alternatives. A new building would be 

designed to minimize the development 

footprint and thus the disturbance or loss 

of agricultural lands that surround the 

town. Any loss of prime and unique 

farmlands would be minimal and would 

affect a negligible amount of farmlands 

within the county. 

Prime and Unique Farmlands 

Soil, providing a growing medium for cash 

crops and for the grasses grazed by livestock, is the most important natural 

resource in Graham County. Two soil 

types are represented on the properties 

within the national historic site. Holdrege 

silt loam is a deep, well-drained, moderately permeable soil found on uplands 

with 1 to 3 percent slopes. These soils 

formed in loess and are moderately well 

suited to the construction of dwellings 

and small buildings. Water capacity and 

natural fertility are high. The St. Francis 

Hotel, A.M.E. and Old First Baptist 

Churches, and Township Hall are on sites 

with Holdrege silt loam soils. Penden 

loam is a deep, well-drained, moderately 

permeable soil found on upland side 

slopes of 3 to 8 percent. These soils 

formed in calcareous, loamy sediments. 

They are mildly alkaline but moderately 

well suited for dwellings and small 

buildings. The Nicodemus School site has 

Penden loam soils. 

Vegetation and Wildlife 

Despite being in a rural area, Nicodemus 

as a developed town site has little or no 

wildlife habitat or native plant communities remaining in a natural state. Most 

disturbance would occur in previously 

developed or impacted areas, and mitigation measures such as erosion control and 

revegetation would be used to control and 

reduce impacts. Other measures such as 

designated walkways and signs would 

assist in controlling and minimizing localized visitor impacts. Because any potential 

impact would affect limited areas, would 

occur primarily in previously developed 

and disturbed sites, and would be mitigated to the extent possible, short- and longterm adverse effects would be negligible. 

Both soil types are considered “prime 

farmland” by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture. Prime or unique farmland is 

defined as soil that particularly produces 

general crops such as common foods, 

forage, fiber, and oil seed; unique farmland produces specialty crops such as 

fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The national 

historic site is part of the town of Nicodemus and no lands within the national 

historic site are used for agriculture. 

20
Under all alternatives planted vegetation 

such as lawns, trees, and shrubs are 

considered cultural resources. Impacts to 

these features of the cultural landscape are 

evaluated under the impact topic 

“Cultural Resources.” 

Threatened and Endangered Species 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 

determined that it is highly unlikely that 

any threatened or endangered species or 

their habitats occur in the vicinity of the 

national historic site (see appendix B). 

Consequently, the alternatives would have 

no effect on any threatened and endangered species or designated critical 

habitat. 

Floodplains/Wetlands 

Executive Orders 11988 (Floodplain 

Management) and 11990 (Protection of 

Wetlands) require an examination of 

impacts on floodplains and wetlands and 

of potential risk involved in placing 

facilities within floodplains. Although the 

town of Nicodemus is within 0.5 mile of 

water sources, it is above the floodplain at 

an elevation of approximately 2,000 feet. 

There are no wetlands within or near the 

national historic site or that would be 

affected by the alternatives. 

Water Resources 

On the west side of Nicodemus, small 

natural drainages flow generally north-tosouth feeding into Spring Creek. Spring 

Creek flows southeast, entering the South 

Fork of the Solomon River directly south 

of town. None of these drainages would 

be directly affected by the alternatives. 

Erosion control measures to prevent 

sedimentation from construction site 

runoff would be employed as necessary to 

avoid potential indirect adverse effects to 

any drainages. Adequate quantities of 

underground water are available for 

domestic and livestock use. The 

alternatives would have negligible effects 

on water available for domestic use. 

Wild and Scenic Rivers 

The national historic site is not adjacent to 

a wild and scenic river corridor, although 

it is in the valley of the South Fork of the 

Solomon River. The Solomon River is not 

included in the National Rivers Inventory

due to its high levels of nitrates and 

siltation. 

Indian Trust Resources 

Secretarial Order 3175 requires that any 

anticipated impacts to Indian trust 

resources from a proposed project or 

action by Department of the Interior 

agencies be explicitly addressed in 

environmental documents. The federal 

Indian trust responsibility is a legally 

enforceable fiduciary obligation on the 

part of the United States to protect tribal 

lands, assets, resources, and treaty rights, 

and it represents a duty to carry out the 

mandates of federal law with respect to 

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. 

There are no Indian trust resources at 

Nicodemus. The lands comprising 

Nicodemus are not held in trust by the 

Secretary of the Interior for the benefit of 

Indians due to their status as Indians. 

Therefore, Indian trust resources are 

21
dismissed as an impact topic in this 

environmental assessment. 

Energy Requirements and 

Conservation Potential 

The alternatives describe the need for the 

construction of new facilities. Energy 

consumption within buildings would be 

considered within design, and the 

maximum use of energy saving concepts 

would be implemented. 

Land Use Plans 

Possible conflicts between the alternatives 

and county, state, tribal, or federal land 

use plans and policies must be considered. 

The jurisdictions near Nicodemus do not 

have approved plans; therefore, this topic 

has been dismissed from further 

consideration. 

22
ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 

Alternatives allow us to compare and 

contrast the advantages and disadvantages 

of one course of action over another. The 

alternatives are also evaluated against 

current management and trends at the 

national historic site — described as the 

no-action alternative. The consideration 

of alternatives provides a sound approach 

to decision making, which is required by 

the National Environmental Policy Act. 

Eventually, a single alternative will be 

selected as the final plan. The alternative 

currently preferred by the National Park 

Service is described in this draft 

document, but this alternative could be 

modified in response to public comments. 

It is important to keep in mind that 

regardless of the alternative finally 

selected, the national historic site’s 

establishing legislation prohibits federal 

acquisition of property without the 

consent of the property owner(s). 

MANAGEMENT AREAS 

The National Park Service considered a 

variety of management areas (or prescriptions) for portions of the national historic 

site. These management areas define the 

specific resource conditions that are to be 

achieved and maintained over time for 

each given parcel and identify the kinds 

and levels of visitor use, management 

activities, and development that are 

appropriate within each management 

area. Management areas are described in 

terms of the desired visitor experience, 

resource condition, and appropriate 

development to be accomplished within 

that portion of the site. Because the 

national historic site and the town of 

Nicodemus are deeply interrelated, the 

National Park Service also considered 

community experience as an aspect of 

each potential management prescription. 

Four potential management areas for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site are 

described below. Alternative future 

visions for the historic site were formulated by placing these management areas 

in different locations or configurations on 

the ground. This application of the management areas is described further on in 

this section. 

Story Area 

Resource Conditions. Resource management activities in this management area 

would be visible and accessible to the 

public. A moderate level of impact on the 

resources would be tolerated to accommodate a high level of visitor use. The 

structural resources and cultural landscape would be rehabilitated to support 

the interpretive program and in accordance with NPS management policies. 

Their rehabilitation would ensure that 

they are able to withstand both the elements and a more intense level of visitation. Resources would be managed to 

retain their historic character, representing the five pillars of African 

American communities (see previous 

significance statements). 

Visitor Experience Conditions. The 

story area would be devoted to the 

primary function of telling the story of 

23
Nicodemus and its significance to 

present-day Americans. Visitor 

interaction with resources would be 

highly managed, but visitors would enjoy 

direct contact with resources to 

encourage a sense of stewardship and to 

enhance overall resource preservation. In 

this area the National Park Service would 

attempt to inspire visitors with the 

Nicodemus story and provide them with 

opportunities to understand it in depth. 

Visitors would experience a high level of 

interpretation and a moderate to high 

level of interaction with staff. The 

relatively high use of this area would 

generate contact and interaction among 

visitors. Residents would be invited to 

participate in the interpretation program 

to the extent they desire, so visitors would 

also have a moderate opportunity to 

interact with them. The National Park 

Service would work closely with the 

Nicodemus community to research, 

prepare, and present the site's interpretive 

story. 

Community Involvement. The 

community would be invited and 

encouraged to participate in interpreting 

the national historic site by assisting in 

developing and presenting exhibits, 

programs, and demonstrations. Residents 

and their descendants could participate in 

all aspects of the education/ research 

program by sharing oral histories and 

family traditions. There would be 

opportunities to teach and learn skills, 

perpetuate the tangible evidence of their 

heritage, and share artifacts, cultural 

materials, and expertise. 

Appropriate Development. Compatible 

development would include workshop 

and training areas, exhibit space, research 

space, archive and collections space, 

curatorial facilities, and climate control 

and security features. New construction 

would be permitted in the story area to 

meet the necessary basic operational 

functions and could include visitor 

amenities such as indoor and outdoor 

exhibits, theater, bookstore, restrooms, 

and parking. All facilities would be fully 

accessible. 

Orientation/Support Area 

Resource Conditions. Resources in this 

management area would likely receive 

much visitor and/or staff use. The 

orientation and support area would be 

located in areas with low resource 

integrity, and facilities would be designed 

and maintained so that they would not 

negatively impact the historical character 

of the national historic site. 

Visitor Experience Conditions. The 

orientation area would provide visitors 

their first impression of Nicodemus 

National Historic Site. It would be the 

gateway; the welcome mat; the inspirational “hook” that would pique visitors’ 

interests and set the tone for their visit. In 

the orientation/support area visitors 

would have a high level of interaction with 

national historic site staff as they seek 

information about services, the site, and 

other opportunities, but they are unlikely 

to encounter residents in this management area. In the portions of the area set 

aside for primarily administrative functions, visitor and staff interactions would 

be minimal. 

Community Involvement. The community would use the orientation facilities 

as a place of welcome and hospitality for 

visitors. The orientation information 

24
presented in this management area would 

serve the goals of the national historic site 

as well as build an economic relationship 

between Nicodemus and the national 

historic site by pointing out other community features, businesses, and services. 

The support area would have a low impact 

on the community and its lifestyle. In the 

portions of the area set aside for primarily 

administrative functions, a moderate level 

of interaction between residents and staff 

would be expected. 

Appropriate Development. To successfully provide the desired visitor experience, development in this area must be 

inviting. The architectural design of the 

orientation facilities would be compatible 

with the architecture of the site at large. 

The orientation facilities could include a 

visitor contact station, informational 

exhibits, kiosks, wayside exhibits, administrative offices, parking, rest rooms, water, 

and shelter in addition to an area in which 

visitors and/or large family groups could 

assemble. Existing buildings within the 

town site might be used to house these 

facilities if they are appropriate for the 

intended use, are inviting, and do not 

detract from the cultural landscape. All 

facilities must comply with ADA 

standards of accessibility. 

Spiritual Area 

Resource Conditions. Within the 

spiritual management area the cultural 

landscape and the historic structure(s) 

would be managed to provide a contemplative opportunity and allow for personal 

and fairly solitary reflection on the significance of Nicodemus. The resources 

would be preserved in close to their 

current conditions, but stabilized so they 

were safe for unmonitored visitation. 

Management activities would protect the 

existing integrity of the resources. 

Visitor Experience Conditions. 

Designation of a spiritual area would 

provide visitors with a place for quiet 

solitude and personal introspection, thus 

providing an opportunity to reflect upon 

the Nicodemus story and its personal 

meaning for them. This area would be 

dedicated to self-discovery and would 

have a minimum of interaction among 

visitors or with national historic site staff. 

Any interpretation would be nonintrusive 

and designed to support the spiritual 

experience of visitors. 

Community Involvement. This area 

would offer a place of spiritual reconnection for residents and their descendants. 

Appropriate Development. To complement the preservation goals, new NPS 

development would be kept to a minimum 

and would not be allowed to interfere 

with the mood-setting aspects of the 

spiritual management area. 

Traditional Use Area 

Resource Conditions. Resources could 

evolve over time to suit new community 

goals, conditions, and situations in this 

management area. Modifications of the 

cultural landscape and historic structures 

could be undertaken to provide a safe 

visitor experience. Alterations could 

include essential climate and humidity 

control improvements for the resources as 

well as necessary security measures. New 

uses could occur, allowing the cultural 

landscape to continue to evolve. Development impacting the resources (directly or 

25
indirectly) would be compatible with the 

general historic character, but a high 

degree of intervention and change would 

occur. 

Visitor Experience Conditions. A 

traditional use area would present visitors 

with an essentially self-guided contextual 

and aesthetic experience of everyday life 

in Nicodemus. They would see the town 

continue to function as it always has, with 

no direct interpretation and only limited 

NPS influence. The potential for a variety 

of land uses, including agriculture, commercial, and residential, would continue 

to evolve. Residents would determine the 

level of interaction with visitors. Visitors 

would have low levels of contact with 

national historic site staff. 

Community Involvement. The resident 

lifestyle would continue uninterrupted. 

The concept of local self-determination 

would continue unhindered. 

Appropriate Development. Residents 

would determine the level of new 

development that is compatible with the 

character of the town. 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES 

The alternatives represent a range of 

possible future conditions for Nicodemus 

National Historic Site. Each alternative 

uses some combination of the management prescriptions discussed above, and is 

grounded in the national historic site's 

enabling legislation as expressed in the 

site’s purpose and significance statements. 

Each of the options proposed are consistent with this legislation, other applicable 

laws, and NPS management policies. 

Although there are some similar situations 

in the national park system, Nicodemus 

National Historic Site is rather atypical of 

national park system sites. At Nicodemus 

National Historic Site the National Park 

Service does not own, and may never 

own, much of the designated properties in 

the national historic site. The national 

historic site sits within a larger national 

historic landmark district, and NPS management activities and management 

activities by other property owners must 

be closely integrated. And, finally, the historical significance of the national historic 

site is embedded less in the physical 

resources and more in the perseverance 

and continuity of a community. Because 

of these factors, the following guiding 

principles have been developed to guide 

NPS managers at the national historic site: 

The National Park Service minimizes 

its influence on the character and 

continuity of the community and 

encourages community-initiated 

sustainable development, which 

preserves the qualities of the national 

historic landmark district. 

Residents, property owners, and the 

National Park Service protect and 

preserve the five designated historic 

properties, the cultural landscape, 

material culture, and archeological 

resources. Residents, property owners, 

and descendants are encouraged to be 

involved with decision-making at the 

national historic site. 

The National Park Service, under 

existing policy, law, and regulation, 

may provide technical assistance (see 

glossary) to property owners and other 

interested parties to encourage preservation of significant resources within 

the national landmark district. Use of 

26
federal dollars would trigger requirements that projects meet NPS 

standards. 

Visitors experience a sense of 

discovery as they learn about African 

American westerners that founded 

towns such as Nicodemus. They 

understand the hardships faced by 

early pioneers on the Great Plains. 

Visitors understand and are inspired by 

the history of African Americans 

seeking a promised land in the West 

and the drive of African American 

emigrants to participate in the 

American Dream. 

Visitors have opportunities to form 

their own intellectual and emotional 

connections with the traditional values 

of family, church, education, work, and 

mutual assistance that ensured the 

survival of Nicodemus in the face of 

economic and environmental 

hardships. 

Residents and descendants have the 

opportunity to perpetuate their 

heritage by teaching and learning skills, 

demonstrating expertise, and sharing 

artifacts and other cultural materials. 

The community would be encouraged 

to participate in restoration and plan 

implementation decisions, to help 

determine the types of activities to be 

provided, and to help develop exhibits, 

programs, and presentations. 

The community retains its characteristic quiet and helps descendants 

reconnect spiritually with Nicodemus. 

Residents and descendants are aware 

of the importance of their evolved 

community and continue to cherish 

their physical connection to the past. 

Management and interpretation of 

Nicodemus is based on exhaustive 

historical, sociological, anthropologic, 

ethnographic, and archeological 

research and investigation. Oral history 

interviews use the most current 

academic methodology. 

ALTERNATIVE 1: NO ACTION 

Alternative Concept 

The no-action alternative represents a 

continuation of current management at 

the national historic site. This alternative 

is presented as a way of comparing the 

conditions that would result from continuing current management direction 

with the possible future conditions 

described in the other alternatives. 

Orientation and Interpretation 

In this alternative, visitors would continue 

to receive orientation to the site and basic 

interpretation of the Nicodemus story at 

Township Hall, which the National Park 

Service leases from the Township Board. 

The National Park Service would continue to provide basic interpretive 

services, including historic site videos, 

documentaries, site brochures, exhibits, 

and ranger-led walking tours during the 

summer. Some private individuals and 

organizations provide interpretive 

services for which fees are charged. It is 

assumed that these kinds of services 

would continue. 

27
Resource Preservation 

and Management 

The National Park Service would 

continue to own and manage the A.M.E. 

Church and would preserve the structure 

to maintain the building’s integrity and 

character. The remaining four structures 

in the national historic site would remain 

in non-NPS ownership. The only building 

normally open to the public would be the 

Township Hall. Visitors would be able to 

walk around the A.M.E. Church but 

would not be able to enter the building. 

The other three historic buildings would 

remain closed unless the property owners 

elected to open them and made such 

improvements as would be necessary to 

admit visitors. 

In this alternative the National Park 

Service would stabilize non-NPS owned 

national historic site properties only if 

they were in imminent danger of loss. 

Similarly these structures would only be 

considered for acquisition from willing 

sellers by the National Park Service if they 

were in imminent danger of being 

physically lost. 

The National Park Service would pursue a 

cooperative agreement with the Township 

Board to maintain the Roadside Park. 

Historic objects in the national historic 

site’s collection include materials from the 

A.M.E. Church. These objects, and any 

additions to the collection, would 

continue to be documented and stored 

consistent with NPS curatorial policy and 

museum guidelines. 

If national historic site operations or 

stabilization activities (see glossary) could 

affect archeological resources, investigations and management actions would be 

taken according to NPS policy. 

Facilities and Development 

Use of and access to Nicodemus National 

Historic Site and its resources would remain as it is now, using existing highways 

and streets. Local convention would guide 

access, parking, and circulation within the 

national historic landmark district. 

NPS staff would continue to operate out 

of leased or temporary facilities within or 

near the national historic landmark 

district. 

Staffing and Operations 

Onsite staff would continue to include a 

superintendent, NPS rangers, and maintenance staff. Offsite staff would consist of 

an administrative technician at Fort 

Larned National Historic Site; this position would continue to provide a wide 

range of administrative services. Additional administrative support would 

continue to be provided by staff at Fort 

Larned. 

Costs 

These costs are based on FY 2003 dollars 

and should be used for comparison of the 

alternatives, not for budget projections. 

28
National Historic Landmark District

National Historic Site

ALTERNATIVE 1

NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / KANSAS

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 

No Action

(Existing Conditions)

DSC / MAY, 03 / 030 / 20,002

Roadside Park

SOUTH AVENUE

WASHINGTON AVENUE

ADAMS AVENUE

JEFFERSON AVENUE

MADISON AVENUE

MONROE AVENUE

JACKSON AVENUE

SEVENTH STREET

SIXTH STREET

FIFTH STREET

FOURTH STREET

THIRD STREETSECOND STREET

FIRST STREET

Township Hall

First

Baptist

Church

St. Francis Hotel

African Methodist

Episcopal Church

Nicodemus School

NORTH 400

200

600

Scale in Feet 800
back of map 

30
TABLE 1. COST ESTIMATES, ALTERNATIVE 1 

AREA DESCRIPTION COST 

A.M.E. Church Stabilization. Limestone coated 

with stucco. Overall condition 

poor. 

$105,000

Staffing and operations Including superintendent, 

rangers, maintenance staff 

$320,000

LIFE CYCLE TOTAL (25 years) $3,834,147

NOTE: If necessary, emergency stabilization of St. Francis Hotel, Old First Baptist 

Church, Township Hall, and Nicodemus School could cost up to an additional $1.4 

million. Life cycle cost is an estimate of one-time and annual costs over a period of 

25 years, expressed in today’s dollars.

ALTERNATIVE 2: 

COMMUNITY STEWARDS 

Alternative Concept 

Nicodemus would remain a living, evolving community. Unless the community 

chooses otherwise, visitors would see the 

town function as it has traditionally. At 

the community’s request, the National 

Park Service would provide technical 

assistance or training in community 

planning/ development, interpretation, 

and cultural resources preservation. 

Regardless of the eventual level of NPS 

presence onsite, NPS management would 

strongly adhere to those “Guiding 

Principles” (see pages 19-20) that focus on 

community decision-making and on 

noninterference in the living community. 

Management Areas 

In this alternative, a site near but not 

within the national historic landmark 

district would be acquired from a willing 

seller(s) by the National Park Service for 

the purpose of constructing a visitor 

contact facility. This new site would 

constitute the orientation/support area. 

The contact facility would be on a site that 

would facilitate visitor recognition and 

access but minimize impacts on traditional activities of town residents and visual 

intrusions on the cultural landscape. 

The A.M.E. Church would be in the 

spiritual area. In this area of quiet solitude, 

visitors would be invited to reflect on the 

Nicodemus story and its personal 

meaning to them. 

All four other national historic site 

properties and the Roadside Park (which 

would be included in the national historic 

site boundary) would be included in the 

traditional use area and would remain in 

non-NPS ownership. 

Orientation and Interpretation 

Visitors would learn the significance of 

Nicodemus and receive orientation to the 

national historic landmark district and 

national historic site at the visitor contact 

facility. NPS staff would encourage 

visitors to tour Nicodemus on their own 

without a formal tour route and in ways 

that minimize impacts on the community. 

Interpretation in the town would be 

31
provided at the discretion of community 

members. 

The National Park Service and the community would jointly prepare a long-range 

interpretation plan that would describe 

the stories to be shared with visitors and 

would identify how best to create opportunities and meaningful experiences for 

visitors. The long-range plan would also 

determine what the National Park Service 

would provide at the contact center and 

what community members might be 

interested in providing within the town. If 

community members chose to provide 

interpretive services, the National Park 

Service would offer training and assistance to help develop interpretive programs and skills to meet NPS standards 

and visitor expectations for NPS sites. 

Resource Preservation 

and Management 

In this alternative, the National Park 

Service would continue to own the A.M.E. 

Church. A higher level of treatment than 

stabilization would be anticipated under 

this alternative for the church. All other 

national historic site structures would 

remain in non-NPS ownership. The 

Roadside Park would be included in the 

national historic site boundary, but the 

park would remain in the ownership of 

Nicodemus Township. 

Under the Historic Sites Act and the 

legislation establishing the national 

historic site, the National Park Service has 

authority to enter into agreements with 

property owners to protect, preserve, and 

maintain the historic buildings that 

remain in private ownership. The 

National Park Service would provide 

technical assistance (see glossary) to the 

community in stabilizing and rehabilitating historic buildings to ensure the longterm preservation of structures and the 

cultural landscape within the national 

historic site. If necessary to prevent their 

physical loss, the National Park Service 

would stabilize the four non-NPS owned 

structures. 

As in the no-action alternative, historic 

objects in the national historic site’s collection (from the A.M.E. Church) would 

be documented and stored consistent 

with NPS curatorial policy and museum 

guidelines. Other objects associated with 

historic site properties would remain in 

non-NPS ownership. The National Park 

Service could provide curatorial advice if 

requested. If these objects were stored in a 

local facility, the National Park Service 

would extend technical curatorial support, including recommending upgrades 

to the facility and providing a cataloging 

system. 

If requested, the National Park Service 

would provide technical assistance for the 

investigation, management, and disposition of archeological resources in the 

national historic landmark district. 

Included would be a comprehensive 

archeological overview, assessment, and 

investigation program to identify the 

potential to uncover archeological 

resources and to ensure the protection, 

preservation, and scholarly research of 

resources at Nicodemus. 

Facilities and Development 

Use of and access to Nicodemus National 

Historic Site and its resources would 

remain as it is now, using existing 

32
National Historic Landmark

District

National Historic Site

Note: Orientation / support area for visitor

 orientation and administration 

 functions to be located outside

 the National Historic 

 Landmark District

400 NORTH

200

600

Scale in Feet 800

 2

Community Stewards

NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / KANSAS

United States Department of the Interior

National Park Service

ALTERNATIVE

SOUTH AVENUE

WASHINGTON AVENUE

ADAMS AVENUE

JEFFERSON AVENUE

MADISON AVENUE

MONROE AVENUE

JACKSON AVENUE

SEVENTH STREET

SIXTH STREET

FIFTH STREET

FOURTH STREET

THIRD STREETSECOND STREET

FIRST STREET

Township Hall

First

Baptist

Church

St. Francis Hotel

African Methodist

Episcopal Church

Nicodemus School 

Roadside Park

(Town ownership)

DSC / MAY, 03 / 030 / 20,003

Orientation / Support Area

Story Area

Spiritual Area

Traditional Use Area
back of map 

34
highways and streets. Local convention 

would guide access, parking, and 

circulation within the national historic 

landmark district. 

A new visitor contact facility would be 

constructed near, but not within, the 

national historic landmark district. Visitor 

parking would be provided at the offsite 

visitor contact facility. 

NPS support and administrative functions 

would be accommodated at the new 

visitor contact facility. 

Boundary Adjustment 

Minor boundary adjustments (additions) 

would be required (through congressional 

action) to include the Roadside Park in 

the national historic site boundary and to 

provide a location outside the national 

historic landmark for a visitor contact 

facility. Boundary adjustments of units 

within the national park system must meet 

certain criteria to comply with federal law. 

Those criteria are outlined in Section 3.5 

of the National Park Service’s 

Management Policies 2001. 

In the case of the Roadside Park, inclusion 

in the boundary would facilitate NPS 

involvement in joint operation of the site 

that would remain in the ownership of the 

Township Board. The site provides values 

that enhance opportunities for public 

enjoyment related to national historic site 

purposes (Section 3.5) in that interpretive 

and visitor support facilities are provided 

there, and the site plays a significant role 

in the annual Emancipation/Homecoming 

celebrations. Because the Roadside Park is 

relatively small and is adjacent to the 

national historic site, the area is feasible to 

administer in partnership with the 

Township Board. (Section 3.5). 

Alternative 2 does not specify a location 

for the visitor contact facility. An 

evaluation of sites would be required to 

ensure consistency with the boundary 

adjustment criteria in NPS policies. To be 

effective, a visitor contact facility must be 

(1) where visitors would be attracted to it 

and receive orientation/interpretation 

upon or soon after their arrival, (2) 

located on or near a primary roadway, and 

(3) avoid or minimize intrusion on the 

national historic landmark and national 

historic site. 

Staffing and Operations 

Onsite staff would include a superintendent, maintenance staff to care for NPSmanaged properties, and NPS rangersinterpreters to operate the visitor contact 

facility. Administrative staff could be 

duty-stationed on or offsite, with additional administrative support provided 

offsite. Technical expertise related to 

preserving cultural properties, community 

planning, collections management, and 

archeology could be provided on or 

offsite, in cooperation with other nearby 

NPS areas, by NPS regional and central 

offices, or by contractors. 

Costs 

These costs are based on FY 2003 dollars 

and should be used for comparison of the 

alternatives, not for budget projections. 

35
TABLE 2. COST ESTIMATES, ALTERNATIVE 2 

AREA DESCRIPTION COST

Visitor contact/administrative 

offices 

Construct new facility with 

orientation, interpretation 

$2,173,000

A.M.E. Church Rehabilitation, maintenance $470,000

TOTAL (one time costs) $2,643,000

Staffing and operations Including superintendent, maintenance staff, ranger/interpreters $420,000

LIFE CYCLE TOTAL (25 years) $7,537,505

NOTE: If necessary, emergency stabilization of St. Francis Hotel, Old First Baptist 

Church, Township Hall, and Nicodemus School could cost up to an additional $1.4 

million. Land acquisitions costs are not included in this estimate and would be 

additional to the totals estimated here. Life cycle cost is an estimate of one-time and 

annual costs over a period of 25 years, expressed in today’s dollars. 

ALTERNATIVE 3: THE LEARNING 

PLACE 

Alternative Concept 

Nicodemus would function as a learning 

center where the public would experience 

onsite interpretation and in-depth stories 

told at a variety of sites. Students would 

have “classroom” opportunities to learn 

about Nicodemus and its lessons and 

stories. The National Park Service would 

present interpretive programs, workshops, and skill development opportunities in consultation with community 

residents and organizations. 

Management Areas 

In this alternative, the National Park 

Service would seek to acquire the Roadside Park (with permission from the 

Township Board) for the purpose of 

constructing a visitor contact facility. 

Additionally, space would be acquired 

from willing sellers elsewhere within the 

national historic landmark district to 

accommodate administrative functions. 

Both facilities would be in the orientation/ 

support areas. 

As in the other alternatives, the A.M.E. 

Church would be in the spiritual area. 

To provide the in-depth interpretive and 

educational opportunities consistent with 

this alternative, the other four historic 

structures — St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, Old First Baptist Church, and 

Township Hall — would be included in 

the story area. This would represent the 

eventual goal of the National Park Service. 

These properties would not become part 

of the story area unless conveyed to the 

National Park Service by willing owners. 

Orientation and Interpretation 

Visitors would receive orientation to the 

historic site and national historic landmark district at a new contact facility 

located at the Roadside Park. From there, 

36
visitors would follow a suggested tour 

route to the various historic structures for 

portions of the Nicodemus story. The 

National Park Service would develop 

programs and media around and within 

the historic structures. 

The National Park Service would prepare 

a long-range interpretation plan in consultation with the community to explore a 

wide variety of media and programs that 

could be offered by the National Park 

Service and/or jointly with residents and 

local organizations. Further, the National 

Park Service would work with the community to develop programs for regional 

schools that would include site visits, 

distance learning programs, and adult 

education. 

Resource Preservation and 

Management 

As in the other alternatives, the A.M.E. 

Church would remain in NPS ownership. 

A higher level of treatment than stabilization would be anticipated under this 

alternative for the A.M.E. Church. The 

National Park Service would also seek to 

acquire over time (either in fee or easements) the St Francis Hotel, Nicodemus 

School, Old First Baptist Church, and 

Township Hall from willing sellers/ 

donors. Assuming the willingness of the 

Township Board, the National Park 

Service would acquire the Roadside Park 

for visitor orientation. Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations and other 

community activities would still occur 

there by arrangement with the National 

Park Service. 

Until the National Park Service acquires 

national historic site properties, it would 

seek façade preservation easements to 

preserve the integrity of the properties. 

Ultimate treatments for the structures 

(following NPS acquisition) could encompass a range of options including stabilization, preservation, and rehabilitation (see 

glossary). The most appropriate treatment 

option for each property would be that 

which maximizes its educational and 

interpretive value and would be consistent 

with the Secretary’s of Interior’s Standards 

for Treatment of Historic Properties.

Under the Historic Sites Act and the 

legislation establishing the national 

historic site, the National Park Service has 

authority to enter into agreements with 

property owners to protect, preserve, and 

maintain the historic buildings that 

remain in private ownership. 

The National Park Service would also 

provide technical assistance (see glossary) 

to the community that would help guide 

long-term preservation of the cultural 

landscape within the national historic 

landmark district. 

The National Park Service would provide 

appropriate curatorial storage for objects 

associated with Nicodemus and its residents, consistent with objectives of the 

national historic site’s collection management program. Collections would be 

available to residents, researchers, and the 

general public consistent with NPS 

policies. 

The National Park Service would conduct 

archeological investigations in the 

national historic site and national historic 

landmark district. This information would 

assist in resources management and in the 

national historic site’s interpretation 

program. Archeological materials would 

37
be catalogued, curated, and stored at the 

site. 

Facilities and Development 

Circulation and parking for residents of 

Nicodemus would remain as they are 

now. Dedicated visitor parking would be 

provided at orientation sites and some 

interpretive facilities. Visitor circulation 

around the sites would be directed to 

provide a cohesive interpretive story. 

Visitor circulation also would be directed 

in such a way that traditional circulation 

pathways would not be interrupted. 

A new visitor contact facility would be 

constructed at the Roadside Park. 

The National Park Service would 

adaptively use historic structures or lease 

properties within the landmark district to 

accommodate administrative and support 

functions. 

Boundary Adjustment 

A minor boundary adjustment (addition) 

would be required (through congressional 

action) to provide a location for the visitor 

contact facility. Boundary adjustments of 

units within the national park system must 

meet certain criteria to comply with 

federal law. Those criteria are outlined in 

Section 3.5 of the National Park Service’s 

Management Policies 2001. A discussion of 

boundary addition needs and their 

relationship to Section 3.5 criteria follows. 

To be effective, a visitor contact facility 

must be where visitors would be attracted 

to it and receive orientation/ interpretation upon or soon after their arrival. 

Preparing visitors before they venture out 

into the national historic site would 

enable them to achieve deeper understanding and appreciation of Nicodemus. 

Alternative 3 identifies the best location 

for this purpose as the Roadside Park 

because it is on the most heavily traveled 

road in the vicinity, U.S. Highway 24. This 

road is also part of a “heritage corridor” 

promoted by nearby towns to attract 

visitors to the region, further enhancing 

the effectiveness of this location as an 

initial contact point for travelers. The 

Roadside Park is quickly recognizable to 

travelers as a public facility and has 

complementary amenities (for example, 

shade, parking, water, and picnic facilities) 

that would attract visitors to the visitor 

contact facility area. 

Historically, a limestone block restroom 

facility was located in the center of the 

Roadside Park. Small buildings and 

facilities typically are associated with 

roadside rest areas, so the construction of 

a visitor contact facility would not, in and 

of itself, detract from the character of the 

Roadside Park. The new visitor facility 

would be much larger than the original 

structure, but would be placed in such a 

way as to minimize impacts on the cultural 

landscape. Having this facility near the 

historic structures would encourage 

visitors to explore the national historic 

site on foot either alone or by guided 

tours. For the reasons stated above, the 

Roadside Park was selected as the location 

that would most “enhance public enjoyment related to park purposes” (Section 

3.5). Having the visitor facility near to the 

historic structures also facilitates 

maintaining the facility, making it 

“feasible to administer” (Section 3.5). 

38
National Historic Landmark

District

National Historic Site

Note: Orientation / support area for 

 administration functions 

 to be determined

400

200

600

Scale in Feet 800

NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / KANSAS

United States Department of the Interior

National Park Service

SOUTH AVENUE

WASHINGTON AVENUE

ADAMS AVENUE

JEFFERSON AVENUE

MADISON AVENUE

MONROE AVENUE

JACKSON AVENUE

SEVENTH STREET

SIXTH STREET

FIFTH STREET

FOURTH STREET

THIRD STREETSECOND STREET

FIRST STREET

Township Hall

First

Baptist

Church

St. Francis Hotel

African Methodist

Episcopal Church

Nicodemus School 

Roadside Park

(NPS Ownership)

Orientation / Support Area

Story Area

Spiritual Area

Traditional Use Area

NORTH

ALTERNATIVE 3

Learning Place

DSC / MAY, 03 / 030 / 20,004
back of map 

40
“Other alternative” properties were also Staffing and Operations 

evaluated for meeting the above needs 

(Section 3.5). Those properties included 

locations on Highway 24 at the northwest 

and northeast corners of the national 

historic landmark district and locations 

well inside the district. Because these 

other properties did not offer the advantages of location, those properties were 

discarded from consideration. It is anticipated that less than 1 acre would be 

required for developing the visitor contact 

facility. Because the property is owned by 

Nicodemus Township, a political subdivision of the state of Kansas, acquisition of 

the property depends upon willing donation of this property by the Nicodemus 

Township Board to the National Park 

Service. 

On-site staff would include a 

superintendent, administrative staff, 

maintenance staff to care for NPSmanaged properties, NPS rangersinterpreters to operate the visitor contact 

facility, and an education specialist. 

Technical expertise related to preserving 

cultural properties, community planning, 

collections management, and archeology 

could be provided on or offsite, in 

cooperation with other nearby NPS areas, 

by NPS regional and central offices, or by 

contractors. 

Costs 

These costs are based on FY 2003 dollars 

and should be used for comparison of the 

alternatives, not for budget projections. 

TABLE 3. COST ESTIMATES, ALTERNATIVE 3 

AREA DESCRIPTION COST

Visitor contact facility Construct new facility with 

orientation and interpretation 

$1,132,000

A.M.E. Church Rehabilitation, maintenance $470,000

St. Francis Hotel Rehabilitation, maintenance $180,000

Old First Baptist Church Rehabilitation, maintenance $260,000

Township Hall Rehabilitation, maintenance $1,420,000

Nicodemus School Rehabilitation, maintenance $140,000

TOTAL (one time costs) $3,602,000

Staffing and operations Including superintendent, clerical 

staff, maintenance staff, ranger/ 

interpreters, education specialist 

$840,000

Administrative office Adaptive use of historic structure — 

lease space 

$40,000

TOTAL (annual costs) $880,000

LIFE CYCLE TOTAL (25 years) $13,857,153

NOTE: Land acquisitions costs are not included in this estimate and would be 

additional to the totals estimated here. Life cycle cost is an estimate of one-time and 

annual costs over a period of 25 years, expressed in today’s dollars.

41
ALTERNATIVE 4: JOINT 

STEWARDSHIP (PREFERRED 

ALTERNATIVE) 

Alternative Concept 

Nicodemus would retain its character as a 

living, evolving community, and the public 

would be invited into the community at 

several areas where onsite interpretation 

would be provided and in-depth stories 

would be told. The National Park Service 

would present interpretive programs, 

workshops, and skill development 

opportunities in consultation with 

community residents and organizations. 

Management Areas 

In this alternative, a portion of the 

Roadside Park would be acquired by the 

National Park Service from a willing 

Township Board for the purpose of 

constructing a visitor contact facility and 

would be included in the national historic 

site boundary. (If this property exchange 

were not possible, the National Park 

Service would seek to acquire land for the 

facility outside the national historic 

landmark district as in alternative 2.) 

Additionally, the National Park Service 

would acquire or lease space elsewhere 

within the national historic landmark 

district to house administration functions. 

Both facilities would be included in the 

orientation/support areas. 

As in all the alternatives, the A.M.E. 

Church would be in the spiritual area. 

The St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, 

and the Old First Baptist Church would be 

included in the story area to provide 

opportunities for in-depth interpretation 

of the Nicodemus story for visitors. This 

would represent the eventual NPS goal. 

Until properties were acquired by the 

National Park Service from willing sellers/ 

donors, use of the structures would 

remain in the control of the owners. 

The traditional use area would include the 

Township Hall and the portion of the 

Roadside Park not acquired by the 

National Park Service. 

Orientation and Interpretation 

Orientation to the national historic landmark district and national historic site 

would be provided at the visitor contact 

facility in the Roadside Park. In-depth 

interpretation of the Nicodemus story 

would occur around and within the historic structures managed by the National 

Park Service in the story management 

areas. The National Park Service would 

strive to minimize disruption of the town 

and cultural landscape in design and 

implementation of facilities and services. 

The National Park Service would consult 

with the community in preparing a longrange interpretation plan. Additionally, 

the National Park Service would coordinate with the community in exploring the 

wide variety of media and programs that 

could be offered by the National Park 

Service and/or jointly with residents and 

local organizations. If community members chose to provide interpretive 

services, the National Park Service would 

offer interpretation training and assistance to help develop their interpretive 

programs and skills. 

42
Resource Preservation 

and Management 

The National Park Service would 

continue to own the A.M.E. Church. A 

higher level of treatment than stabilization 

would be anticipated under this alternative for the church. The National Park 

Service would seek to acquire the St. 

Francis Hotel, Old First Baptist Church, 

and Nicodemus School from willing 

sellers/donors. If the Nicodemus First 

Baptist Church congregation agreed to 

NPS acquisition of the Old First Baptist 

Church, national historic site management 

would cooperate with First Baptist 

Church officials to make the building 

available for church and community 

activities. The National Park Service 

would request a cooperative agreement 

from the Township Board to allow some 

public access to the Township Hall. The 

National Park Service would stabilize the 

Township Hall if it was in danger of being 

physically lost. The National Park Service 

would also seek donation by the 

Township Board of a small portion of the 

Roadside Park for a visitor contact facility. 

Traditional uses would remain at the rest 

of the Roadside Park. 

Until the National Park Service acquires 

historic site properties, it would seek 

façade preservation easements to preserve 

the integrity of the national historic site 

properties. Ultimate treatments for the 

four national historic site properties 

under NPS management could encompass 

a range of options, including stabilization, 

preservation, and rehabilitation (see 

glossary). The most appropriate treatment 

option for each property would be that 

which maximizes its educational and 

interpretive value and would be consistent 

with the Secretary’s of Interior’s Standards 

for Treatment of Historic Properties.

Under the Historic Sites Act and the 

legislation establishing the national 

historic site, the National Park Service has 

authority to enter into agreements with 

property owners to protect, preserve, and 

maintain the historic buildings that remain in private ownership. The National 

Park Service would also provide technical 

assistance (see glossary) to the community 

that would help guide long-term preservation of the cultural landscape within the 

national historic landmark district. 

The National Park Service would provide 

appropriate curatorial storage for objects 

associated with Nicodemus and its residents, consistent with objectives of the 

national historic site’s collection management program. Collections would be 

available to residents, researchers, and the 

general public for investigation and 

viewing, consistent with NPS policies. 

The National Park Service would conduct 

archeological investigations in the 

national historic site and national historic 

landmark district. This information would 

assist in resources management and in the 

national historic site’s interpretation 

program. Archeological materials would 

be catalogued, curated, and stored at the 

historic site. 

Facilities and Development 

Circulation and parking for residents of 

Nicodemus would remain as they are 

now. Dedicated visitor parking would be 

provided at orientation sites and some 

interpretive facilities. Visitor circulation 

around the sites would be directed to 

43
provide a cohesive interpretive story. 

Visitor circulation also would be directed 

in such a way that traditional circulation 

pathways would not be interrupted. 

A new visitor contact facility would be 

constructed at the Roadside Park. 

The National Park Service would 

adaptively use historic structures or lease 

properties within the landmark district to 

accommodate administrative and support 

functions. If properties were not available, 

the National Park Service would purchase 

property within the national historic 

landmark district and construct facilities 

for administrative functions. 

Boundary Adjustment 

A minor boundary adjustment (addition) 

would be required (through congressional 

action) to provide a location for the visitor 

contact facility. Boundary adjustments of 

units within the national park system must 

meet certain criteria to comply with 

federal law. Those criteria are outlined in 

Section 3.5 of the National Park Service’s 

Management Policies 2001. A discussion of 

boundary addition needs and their 

relationship to Section 3.5 criteria follows. 

To be effective, a visitor contact facility 

must be where visitors would be attracted 

to it and receive orientation/ interpretation upon or soon after their arrival. 

Preparing visitors before they venture out 

into the national historic site would 

enable them to achieve deeper understanding and appreciation of Nicodemus. 

The preferred alternative identifies the 

best location for this purpose as the 

western third of the Roadside Park 

because it lies on the most heavily traveled 

road in the vicinity, U.S. Highway 24. This 

road is also part of a “heritage corridor” 

promoted by nearby towns to attract 

visitors to the region, further enhancing 

the effectiveness of this location as an 

initial contact point for travelers. 

The Roadside Park is quickly recognizable 

to travelers as a public facility and has 

complementary amenities (for example 

shade, parking, water, and picnic facilities) 

that would attract visitors to the visitor 

contact facility area. Historically, a 

limestone block restroom facility was 

located in the center of the Roadside Park. 

Small buildings and facilities typically are 

associated with roadside rest areas, so the 

construction of a visitor contact facility 

would not, in and of itself, detract from 

the character of the Roadside Park. The 

new visitor facility would be much larger 

than the original structure, but would be 

placed in such a way as to minimize 

impacts on the cultural landscape. Having 

this facility near the historic structures 

would encourage visitors to explore the 

national historic site on foot either alone 

or by guided tours. For the reasons stated 

above, the Roadside Park was selected as 

the location that would most “enhance 

public enjoyment related to park 

purposes” (Section 3.5). Having the visitor 

facility near to the historic structures also 

facilitates maintaining the facility, making 

it “feasible to administer” (Section 3.5). 

“Other alternative” properties were also 

evaluated for meeting the above needs 

(Section 3.5). Those properties included 

locations on Highway 24 at the northwest 

and northeast corners of the national 

historic landmark district and locations 

well inside the district. Because these 

other properties did not offer the 

44
National Historic Landmark

District

National Historic Site

ALTERNATIVE 4

Joint Stewardship

NICODEMUS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / KANSAS

United States Department of the Interior

National Park Service

(Preferred Alternative)

SOUTH AVENUE

WASHINGTON AVENUE

ADAMS AVENUE

JEFFERSON AVENUE

MADISON AVENUE

MONROE AVENUE

JACKSON AVENUE

SEVENTH STREET

SIXTH STREET

FIFTH STREET

FOURTH STREET

THIRD STREETSECOND STREET

FIRST STREET

Township Hall

First

Baptist

Church

St. Francis Hotel

African Methodist

Episcopal Church

Nicodemus School 

Roadside Park

(Portion owned by NPSmajority in town ownership)

400

200

600

Scale in Feet 800

400

200

600

Scale in Feet 800

Orientation / Support Area

Story Area

Spiritual Area

Traditional Use Area NORTH

Note: Orientation / support area for

 administration functions to 

 be determined

DSC / MAY, 03 / 030 / 20,005
back of map 

46
advantages of location, those properties 

were discarded from consideration. It is 

anticipated that less than 1 acre would be 

required for developing the visitor contact 

facility. Because the property is owned by 

Nicodemus Township, a political subdivision of the state of Kansas, acquisition of 

the property depends upon willing donation of this property by the Nicodemus 

Township Board to the National Park 

Service. 

Staffing and Operations 

On-site staff would include a 

superintendent, administrative staff, 

maintenance staff to care for NPSmanaged properties, and NPS rangersinterpreters to operate the visitor contact 

facility. Technical expertise related to 

preserving cultural properties, community 

planning, collections management, and 

archeology could be provided on or 

offsite, in cooperation with other nearby 

NPS areas, by NPS regional and central 

offices, or by contractors. 

Costs 

These costs are based on FY 2003 dollars 

and should be used for comparison of the 

alternatives, not for budget projections. 

TABLE 4. COST ESTIMATES, ALTERNATIVE 4 

AREA DESCRIPTION COST

Visitor contact facility Construct new facility with 

orientation and interpretation

$1,132,000

A.M.E. Church Rehabilitation, maintenance $470,000

St. Francis Hotel Rehabilitation, maintenance $180,000

Old First Baptist Church Rehabilitation, maintenance $260,000

Nicodemus School Rehabilitation, maintenance $140,000

TOTAL (one time costs) $2,182,000

Staffing and operations Including superintendent, 

clerical staff, maintenance 

staff, ranger/ interpreters 

$620,000

Administrative office Adaptive use of historic 

structure — lease space 

$40,000

TOTAL (annual costs) $660,000

LIFE CYCLE TOTAL (25 years) $9,873,365

NOTE: If necessary, emergency stabilization Township Hall could cost up to an 

additional $980.000. Land acquisitions costs are not included in this estimate and 

would be additional to the totals estimated here. Life cycle cost is an estimate of 

one-time and annual costs over a period of 25 years, expressed in today’s dollars. 

47
TABLE 5. SUMMARY OF THE ALTERNATIVES

Alternative 1: No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Alternative Concept 

NPS would continue its current management course to preserve and interpret the resources of Nicodemus National Historic Site. 

Nicodemus would remain a living, evolving community. Unless the community chooses otherwise, visitors would see the town function as it has traditionally. At the community’s request, the National Park Service would provide technical assistance or training in community planning/ development, interpretation, and cultural resources preservation. Regardless of the eventual level of NPS presence onsite, NPS management would strongly focus on community decision-making and on noninterference in the living community. 

Nicodemus would function as a learning center where the public would experience with onsite interpretation and in-depth stories told at a variety of sites. Students would have “classroom” opportunities to learn about Nicodemus and its lessons and stories. The National Park Service would present interpretive programs, workshops, and skill development opportunities in consultation with community residents and organizations. 

Nicodemus would retain its character as a living, evolving community, and the public would be invited into the community at several areas where onsite interpretation would be provided and indepth stories would be told. National Park Service would present interpretive programs, workshops, and skill development opportunities in consultation with community residents and organizations. 

48
Alternative 1: 

No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Management Areas 

None Orientation/Support Area 

visitor contact facility adjacent 

to national historic landmark district 

Spiritual Area A.M.E. Church Traditional Use Area the remaining four national 

historic site structures 

Roadside Park 

Orientation/Support Area Roadside Park (for visitor contact 

facility) 

space within the national historic 

landmark district for administrative functions 

Spiritual Area A.M.E. Church Story Area St. Francis Hotel Nicodemus School Old First Baptist Church Township Hall 

Orientation/Support Area NPS-owned portion of the 

Roadside Park 

leased or acquired space for 

management/administration 

Spiritual Area A.M.E. Church Story Area St. Francis Hotel Nicodemus School Old First Baptist Church Traditional Use Area Non-NPS-owned portion of 

the Roadside Park 

Township Hall 

49
Alternative 1: 

No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Orientation and Interpretation 

Orientation and basic 

interpretation would continue at the Township Hall. 

Private interpretive services 

would continue at the discretion of the providers. 

Orientation and basic interpretation would be at a visitor 

contact facility near the national historic landmark district. Interpretation in town would be provided at discretion of community members. 

National Park Service and community would jointly prepare 

a long-range interpretation plan (LRIP); if community members chose to provide interpretive services, the National Park Service would offer interpretation training. 

Orientation would be at the 

Roadside Park; from there visitors would follow a suggested tour route to the various structures for portions of the Nicodemus story. 

National Park Service would 

prepare a LRIP in consultation and coordination with the community. 

National Park Service would 

work with the community to develop programs for regional schools. 

Orientation would be in a new 

facility at the Roadside Park. 

In-depth interpretation would 

be within and around NPSmanaged historic structures. 

National Park Service would 

prepare a LRIP in consultation with the community; if community members chose to provide interpretive services, the National Park Service would offer interpretation training and technical assistance. National Park Service would also coordinate interpretation activities with the community. 

50
Alternative 1: 

No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Resource Preservation and Management 

National Park Service would 

continue to own the A.M.E. Church. 

National Park Service would 

stabilize four non-NPSowned national historic site properties only if they were in imminent danger of loss. 

The four non-NPS owned 

properties would be considered for acquisition by the National Park Service only if they were in imminent danger of being physically lost. 

The National Park Service 

would pursue a cooperative agreement with the Township Board to maintain the Roadside Park. 

National Park Service would 

continue to curate and maintain collections consistent with agency policy. 

National Park Service would 

continue to own the A.M.E. Church, which would receive a higher level of treatment than stabilization 

Other national historic site 

properties would remain in non-NPS ownership. 

Roadside Park would be 

included in the national historic site boundary, but would remain in the ownership of Nicodemus Township. 

National Park Service would 

provide technical assistance to the community in stabilizing or rehabilitating historic buildings to ensure the longterm preservation of the historic site properties and the associated cultural landscape. 

National Park Service would continue to own the A.M.E. 

Church, which would receive a higher level of treatment than stabilization. 

National Park Service would seek 

to acquire the four non-NPSowned national historic site structures (from willing sellers/ donors). 

National Park Service would seek 

to acquire the Roadside Park (for visitor contact facility) if Township Board was willing. 

Most appropriate treatment 

option for each property would be that which maximizes its educational and interpretive value. 

National Park Service would 

continue to own the A.M.E. Church, which would receive a higher level of treatment than stabilization. 

National Park Service would 

seek to acquire St. Francis Hotel, Old First Baptist Church, and Nicodemus School (from willing sellers/ donors) 

Township Hall would remain in 

Township ownership; the National Park Service would see a cooperative agreement for some public access to the Hall. 

National Park Service would 

seek donation by the Township Board of a small portion of the Roadside Park (for a visitor contact facility). 

Traditional uses would remain 

at the rest of the Roadside Park. 

Most appropriate treatment 

option for each property would be that which maximizes its educational and interpretive value. 

51
Alternative 1: 

No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Resource Preservation and Management (cont.) 

Archeological investigations 

and management actions would be taken consistent with NPS policy if needed. 

With the exception of the NPSmanaged resources from the 

A.M.E. Church, objects would remain in non-NPS ownership. If these objects were stored in a local facility, the National Park Service could extend technical curatorial support. 

If requested, National Park 

Service would provide technical assistance for the investigation, management, and disposition of archeological resources in the national historic landmark district. 

The National Park Service would 

also provide technical assistance to the community that would help guide long-term preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district. 

National Park Service would 

provide appropriate curatorial storage for objects associated with Nicodemus and its residents. 

National Park Service would 

conduct archeological investigations in the national historic site and national historic landmark district. 

The National Park Service 

would also provide technical assistance to the community that would help guide longterm preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district. 

National Park Service would 

provide appropriate curatorial storage for objects associated with Nicodemus and its residents. 

National Park Service would 

conduct archeological investigations in the national historic site and national historic landmark district. 

Facilities and Development 

Circulation at the national 

historic sites would continue as it is now. 

National Park Service would 

continue to operate out of leased or temporary facilities. 

Circulation at the national 

historic site would remain as it is now. 

A new visitor contact facility 

would be constructed near the national historic landmark district. 

NPS support and administrative 

functions and visitor parking would be accommodated at the new visitor contact facility. 

Circulation and parking for 

residents of Nicodemus would remain as they are now. 

Dedicated visitor parking would 

be at orientation sites and some interpretive facilities. 

Visitor circulation would be 

directed to provide a cohesive interpretive story. 

A new visitor contact facility 

would be constructed at the Roadside Park. 

Circulation and parking for 

residents of Nicodemus would remain as they are now. 

Dedicated visitor parking 

would be at orientation sites and some interpretive facilities. 

Visitor circulation would be 

directed to provide a cohesive interpretive story. 

A new visitor contact facility 

would be constructed at the Roadside Park. 

52
Alternative 1: 

No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3:  Learning Place 

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Facilities and Development (cont.) 

 National Park Service would 

adaptively use historic structures or lease properties within the landmark district to accommodate administrative and support functions. 

National Park Service would 

adaptively use historic structures or lease properties within the landmark district or construct new facilities to accommodate administrative and support functions. 

Boundary Adjustment 

 Minor boundary adjustment 

would be required to include the Roadside Park in the national historic site boundary. 

Minor boundary adjustment would be required to include the Roadside Park in the national historic site boundary. 

Minor boundary adjustment would be required to include a portion of the Roadside Park in the national historic site boundary. 

Staffing and Operations 

Onsite staff would continue to consist of a superintendent, NPS rangers, and maintenance staff and an offsite administrative technician. Administrative support would continue to be provided by staff at Fort Larned. 

Onsite staff would consist of superintendent, maintenance staff, and rangers-interpreters. Administrative staff, and technical expertise related to preservation of cultural properties, community planning, collections management, and archeology could be on or offsite. 

Onsite staff would consist of superintendent, administrative staff, maintenance staff, education specialist, and rangersinterpreters. Administrative staff, technical expertise related to preservation of cultural properties, community planning, collections management, and archeology could be on or offsite. 

Onsite staff would consist of superintendent, administrative staff, maintenance staff, and rangers/ interpreters. Administrative staff, technical expertise related to preservation of cultural properties, community planning, collections management, and archeology could be on or offsite. 

53
MITIGATION 

The following measures have been 

incorporated into the plan to avoid or 

reduce impacts on national historic site 

resources, visitors, and the community: 

The preservation of historic structures/ 

buildings and cultural landscapes would 

be conducted in accordance with the 

guidelines and recommendations of the 

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and 

Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation. 

All ground-disturbing activities would be 

preceded by site-specific archeological 

surveys, and, where appropriate, subsurface testing to determine the existence 

of archeological resources. If archeological resources were discovered, the 

resources would be identified, evaluated, 

and documented and an appropriate 

mitigation strategy developed — if 

necessary in consultation with the Kansas 

state historic preservation office. In the 

unlikely event that human remains of any 

origin were discovered during construction, they and any associated objects 

would be treated respectfully in accordance with the beliefs of their cultural 

affiliation and according to applicable 

laws. If remains were of American Indian 

origin, provisions of the Native American 

Graves and Repatriation Act would be 

implemented. 

The preservation of historic structures or 

construction of new facilities would 

involve some localized disturbance of 

soils and vegetation, although most work 

would occur within previously disturbed 

areas. Construction impacts would be 

mitigated by appropriate erosion control, 

site restoration techniques, and dust and 

emission controls. 

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED 

ALTERNATIVE 

The environmentally preferred alternative 

is the alternative that will promote the 

national environmental policy as 

expressed in Section 101 of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969. The environmentally preferred 

alternative is determined by applying the 

criteria suggested in NEPA and guided by 

the Council on Environmental Quality. In 

the National Park Service, this requirement is met by (1) disclosing how each 

alternative meets the criteria set forth in 

section 101(b), which are listed in table 2 

below, and by (2) presenting any inconsistencies between the alternatives analyzed 

and other environmental laws and policies 

(Director’s Order 12, 2.7.E). According to 

section 101, this alternative would cause 

the least damage to the biological and 

physical environment, and best protect, 

preserve and enhance historic, cultural 

and natural resources. Although all alternatives in this plan rated well, the preferred alternative (Joint Stewardship) best 

met the criteria of section 101(b), and is 

the environmentally preferred alternative. 

In the process used to select the environmentally preferred alternative, alternatives 

3 and 4 were found to have the best 

overall potential for protecting and 

preserving the historic, cultural, and 

natural resources of Nicodemus National 

Historic Site. The preferred alternative 

rated high in all categories except two 

(achieving a balance between population 

and resource use that will permit high 

standards of living and a wide sharing of 

54
TABLE 6. ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS

 Alternatives 

Criteria 1 2 3 4* 

Fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the 

environment for succeeding generations. 1 1 2 2 

Ensure safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally 

pleasing surroundings for all Americans. 1 1 2 2 

Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment 

without degradation, risk of health or safety, or other undesirable 

and unintended consequences. 

1 1 1 2 

Preserve important historic, cultural and natural aspects of our 

national heritage and maintain, wherever possible, an environment that supports diversity and variety of individual choice. 

1 2 2 2 

Achieve a balance between population and resource use that will 

permit high standards of living and a wide sharing of life’s 

amenities. 

1 2 1 1 

Enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the 

maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources. 1 1 2 1 

Total Points 6 8 10 10 

1 = This is given to the alternative that somewhat meets the criteria. 

2 = This is given to the alternative that fully meets the intent of the criteria. 

Note: There were no “low” ratings because elements that were not environmentally 

sound were eliminated from consideration. 

life’s amenities; enhancing the quality of 

renewable resources and approaching the 

maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources). 

Alternative 3 scored better than alternative 4 on the last criterion for the reason 

that each of the properties in alternative 3 

would be rehabilitated to accommodate 

visitor services, interpretation and education activities, thus “recycling” old structures for present-day uses and reducing 

the size of the visitor center. In addition, 

other historic structures within the 

national historic landmark district. would 

be leased for administrative and support 

services in alternative 3. 

In the criterion designed to measure the 

balance between population and resource 

use that would permit high standards of 

living and a wide sharing of life’s amenities, alternative 2 rated higher than the 

other alternatives. Under alternative 2, the 

greatest number of the historic structures 

in the national historic site would remain 

in private ownership and control, thus 

leaving opportunities for the individual 

owners to develop compatible private 

business ventures. 

Though the total scores for both alternative 3 and 4 are equal, the criteria where 

alternative 4 outscored alternative 3 

pertains more directly to the mission of 

the National Park Service, and so has a 

55
higher value than the criteria that alternative 3 scored higher than alternative 4. 

With regards to the criterion that stipulates “attain the widest range of beneficial 

uses of the environment without degradation” alternative 4 provides a high level of 

resource preservation for the historic 

structures within the national historic site. 

Also, in following one of the guiding 

principles of this planning process, “to 

foster an atmosphere in which community 

events and the characteristics of selfdetermination can continue,” the proposal to keep the Township Hall in the 

control of the citizenry retains the 

evidence of self-governance that sustained 

the town for 130 years and provides a 

focus for local government activities. 

Therefore, the preferred alternative was 

chosen as the environmentally preferred 

alternative for this criterion as well. 

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED 

AND ELIMINATED FROM 

FURTHER EVALUATION 

The planning team discussed expanding 

the national historic site’s boundary to 

include the entire national historic 

landmark district. Such an action did not 

appear feasible because of the lack of 

public and political support and because 

of concerns about potential federal 

ownership of lands. Although future 

circumstances might bring merit to 

reconsidering this approach, it is not 

feasible or desirable at this point. 

The planning team considered the 

development of a full-service visitor 

center/museum/ administrative 

center/curatorial facility. This alternative 

did not appear feasible because of the high 

costs of constructing and operating such a 

facility. 

The planning team considered an 

alternative that would have emphasized 

total self-determination of the residents of 

Nicodemus to direct the development and 

operation of the national historic site. The 

National Park Service would have 

facilitated the decision-making process, 

but it would not have taken an active role. 

It would have responded to the direction 

of the community. The team discarded 

this approach as unresponsive to the 

mandate of the national historic site’s 

enabling legislation. Elements of this 

concept have become part of Alternative 

2, Community Stewardship. 

The planning team also considered an 

alternative that would have emphasized 

the use of Nicodemus as a “living 

classroom” where students would have 

learned about the history, significance, 

and meaning of Nicodemus while studying and applying research, documentation, and historic preservation techniques. 

This alternative would have envisioned an 

ongoing series of seminars, workshops, 

and on-the-job training in history, 

archeology, historic preservation, and 

curatorial practices. A formal education 

center would have served as an anchor for 

this proposal. Because of the distance 

from food and lodging facilities, the 

center would have included a dormitory 

and cafeteria. This alternative did not 

appear feasible because of the high costs 

of constructing and operating the center, 

as well as the lack of an audience for the 

programs. Elements of this concept have 

become part of Alternative 3, The 

Learning Place. 

56
TABLE 7. SUMMARY OF IMPACTS

Impact Topic 

Alternative 1: No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Cultural Resources 

Under the no-action alternative there would be a minor 

long-term beneficial impact on the NPS-owned A.M.E. Church and a longterm, moderate, adverse impact on the four remaining non-NPS owned historic structures. 

Impacts on the cultural 

landscape, ethnographic resources, archeological resources, and museum collections would be negligible. 

Alternative 2 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on the NPS-owned A.M.E. church and a minor, long-term, beneficial impact on the four remaining non-NPS owned historic structures. 

Impacts on the cultural 

landscape and museum collections would be minor, long-term, and beneficial. Impacts on archeological resources would be negligible. 

The increased likelihood 

of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the historic properties could result in a minor, long-term, adverse effect to the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. 

Alternative 3 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on the NPSowned A.M.E. church and the other four historic structures (St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, Township Hall, and Old First Baptist Church) that would be acquired by the National Park Service. 

Impacts on the cultural 

landscape would be minor, long-term, and beneficial due to NPS technical assistance to guide long-term preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district. There would be a minor, long-term, adverse impact on the cultural landscape due to the addition of a new NPS orientation structure within the national historic landmark district. 

Alternative 4 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on the NPSowned A.M.E. church and the St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, and Old First Baptist Church that would be acquired by the National Park Service. There would be a minor, long-term, beneficial impact on the Township Hall, which would remain in town ownership. 

Impacts on the cultural landscape would be minor, longterm, and beneficial due to 

NPS technical assistance to guide long-term preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district and minor, long-term, and adverse due to the addition of new NPS structures within the national historic landmark district. 
Impact Topic 

Alternative 1: No Action

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place

Alternative 4: Joint Stewardship (Preferred Alternative) 

Cultural Resources (cont.) 

 Changes in use of the four 

historic properties acquired by the National Park Service as well as the increased likelihood of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the historic properties would result in a minor longterm, adverse effect on the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. 

Impacts on archeological 

resources would be negligible. Impacts on museum collections would be moderate, longterm, and beneficial. 

Changes in use of the St. Francis 

Hotel, Nicodemus School, and Old First Baptist Church as well as the increased likelyhood of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the historic properties would result in a minor long-term adverse effect on the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. 

Impacts on archeological 

resources would be negligible. Impacts on museum collections would be moderate, long-term, and beneficial. 

Visitor Experience 

There would be no noticeable change in visitor use 

or experience associated with Nicodemus. 

Alternative 2 would have a 

minor beneficial effect on the visitor experience. 

Alternative 3 would have 

moderate long-term beneficial effect on the visitor experience. 

Alternative 4 would have 

moderate long-term beneficial effect on the visitor experience. 

Socioeconomic Environment 

Visitor intrusions on the 

community would continue to be long term and negligible. There would be no change in land use or economic opportunities for the community. 

Alternative 2 would result 

in minor, long- and short-term benefits to the local economy. Adverse impacts on the community from NPS activities and visitors would be long term and minor. There would be no change in land use. 

Alternative 3 would result in 

minor to moderate, long- and short-term benefits to the local economy. Impacts on the community’s social environment from NPS activities, visitors, students, and land use changes would be long term, adverse, and moderate. 

Alternative 4 would result in 

minor to moderate, long- and short-term benefits to the local economy. Impacts on the community’s social environment from NPS activities, visitors, and land use changes would be long term, adverse, and minor 

58
AFFECTED EVIRONMENT 

CULUTRAL RESOURCES School are seldom used. The Township 

Hall is used for community meetings and 

other functions, especially the Emancipation/Homecoming celebrations, and as 

the NPS visitor contact facility. Other 

historic structures that were included in 

the original national historic landmark 

district have since deteriorated or 

collapsed and the remains have been 

removed. 

Historic Structures 

In 1983, the NPS Historic American 

Buildings Survey produced site plans for 

Nicodemus Township, the town site, and 

a few specific properties based upon land 

transfer records, oral interviews, and 

aerial photographs from 1938, 1947, and 

1953. 

Historic property inspection reports have Cultural Landscapes 

been completed on all historic structures 

that contributed to the national historic 

landmark district designation. The condition of these five structures was reevaluated in the 2002 “Historic Structures 

Report” (Bahr Vermeer Haecker 

Architects, Ltd.). Five of these structures 

remain: the Old First Baptist Church, St. 

Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, the 

African Methodist Episcopal Church, and 

the Nicodemus Township Hall. The Old 

First Baptist Church and the African 

Methodist Episcopal Church are not in 

use. The St. Francis Hotel and Nicodemus 

The initial phase of a cultural resource 

inventory of Nicodemus National 

Historic Site was conducted in July 1997. 

The inventory focused on current landscape features since there is little documentation of historic characteristics. A 

cultural landscape report was completed 

in 2003 (Bahr Vermeer Haecker Architects, Ltd, and OCULUS). More in-depth 

research on historic features of the 

landscape is needed to conduct the 

second phase of the inventory. Oral 

history interviews and review of historic 

photographs and maps would be 

Structure Built/ necessary to elicit this information. 

Condition 

Notes 

St. Francis 

Hotel 

1880 / Fair 

A.M.E. Church 1885 / Poor Owned by 

National Park 

Service 

Old First 

Baptist Church 

1907 / Fair 

Township Hall 1939 / Good 

Nicodemus 

School 

1918 / Fair Recently 

stabilized by 

National Park 

Service 

Exposed openness is probably the most 

character-defining feature of the town of 

Nicodemus. The town was originally 

surrounded by prairies, which were 

converted to agricultural fields over time. 

The grid pattern of platted town lots, 

typical of Western towns, shaped the 

settlement landscape. The commercial 

district was historically located along two 

blocks of Washington Avenue. Although 

residences were scattered throughout the 

59
 60 

Figure 8. Few structures obstruct the Kansas countryside. 

town site, most residential, commercial 

and civic structures were concentrated in 

a six-block area. The remaining homes 

were interspersed with farmland gradually 

blending in with agricultural homesteads 

in the surrounding township. Today the 

town of Nicodemus is more visually 

isolated and solidly surrounded with 

farmland, with only occasional standing 

structures and ruins scattered across the 

township. 

Places in the larger community (the 

original town site, Spring Creek and the 

South Fork of the Solomon River, the 

former Welton/Scrugg’s Grove and 

baseball diamond, the former communities of Fairview and Mount Olive, the 

Nicodemus and Mount Olive Cemeteries, 

and the locations of former dugouts and 

sod dwellings) and the overall agricultural 

character and use of the township are 

historically significant and in most cases 

continue to be important symbols and 

landmarks in the eyes of the Nicodemus 

community. 

Formerly a Kansas Department of 

Transportation rest area, the general 

appearance and layout of the Roadside 

Park is typical of many found in Kansas. It 

provides a tree-shaded area with two 

picnic shelters and three tables. The oldest 

living residents recollect planting the elm 

shade trees during their childhood. Other 

amenities include two barbecue pits, a 

freshwater spigot, two trashcans, a 

firewood box, and two security lights. The 

Kansas Department of Transportation 

removed the restrooms several years ago. 

The Roadside Park is on the south side of 

U.S. Highway 24, on the north boundary 

of the national historic landmark district. 

The park is about 150 feet north to south 

by 300 feet east to west. The associated 

parking area is between the Roadside Park 

and U.S Highway 24. A Kansas State 

Historical Society sign provides a brief 

history of Nicodemus. 

A travelers information station radio 

transmitter (1610 AM) gives a history and 

invites listeners to visit Nicodemus and 

the national historic site visitor center. 
The Kansas Department of Transportation returned the area to Nicodemus 

Township ownership several years ago. 

Ethnographic Resources 

Nicodemus National Historic Landmark 

District as a whole constitutes an ethnographic resource due to its significance as 

one of the oldest, continuously occupied 

African American town in the West. In all, 

five separate groups of African Americans 

left the persecution and poverty of the 

Upper South and Mississippi in the years 

immediately following Reconstruction to 

seek a better life in Nicodemus. Although 

in its peak population years, African 

American settlers lived both on town lots 

and dispersed rural homesteads throughout the township, they comprised a definable community of people centered by the 

town itself. The town of Nicodemus (as 

demonstrated by the structures designated for the national historic site) 

represents the five pillars of African 

American communities: home, church, 

school, business, and organizations that 

grew out of a tradition of mutual 

assistance. 

Today, strong kinship ties to Nicodemus 

are valued, not only by people living in the 

town and the outlying township and other 

parts of Graham County, but by many 

descendants and former residents who 

now live in other areas of the United 

States. The annual Emancipation/ 

Homecoming Celebration demonstrates 

an association with place, and the return 

of descendants of Nicodemus’ founding 

families is what makes Nicodemus so 

unique. These celebrations, held annually 

since 1878, reflect the intense commitment to sustain the town’s cultural 

heritage. 

Documentation of the ethnographic 

resources of Nicodemus was initiated in 

1983 through a collaborative effort of the 

National Park Service, Kansas State Historical Society, Kansas State University, 

and Entourage, Inc. (NPS 1986). This 

project included oral history interviews 

with local residents familiar with the 

history of the town site. Two other oral 

history projects have increased knowledge of traditional values and activities at 

Nicodemus. In 1999 Dr. Jennifer Michael 

of the National Council for the 

Traditional Arts (“Everyday Life in 

Nicodemus”) conducted a series of oral 

history interviews. Twenty-nine oral 

histories that informed the 2003 “Cultural 

Landscape Report” were collected. 

Archeological Sites 

Although only small-scale archeological 

investigations have been conducted in the 

national historic site boundaries (NPS 

1996, NPS 2000), many potential archeological sites have been documented (NPS 

1986). These potential sites include many 

buildings, particularly in the commercial 

blocks of Nicodemus, that have been 

removed or torn down, and the sites of 

dugouts (the first homes of the original 

settlers) located in the township. Most 

properties probably had pit toilets and 

possibly trash middens, which could also 

provide valuable information on the social 

history of Nicodemus through most of its 

126-year history. 

61
National Historic Site Collections 

The main national historic site collection 

consists of 139 objects from the A.M.E. 

Church. These objects include hymnals, 

church records, and furniture (including a 

pulpit). There are 54 items on record as 

“archives” at the NPS Midwest 

Archeological Center; these are records of 

NPS archeological investigations 

conducted before an A.M.E Church 

stabilization project. A “Scope of 

Collections” (see Recommended Studies 

Needed” section) has been funded for 

completion in fiscal year 2004 and will 

establish the guidelines for the types of 

objects that are relevant for acquisition 

into the national historic site’s museum 

collection. 

VISITOR EXPERIENCE 

About 32,000 visits to Nicodemus 

National Historic Site were recorded in 

2002. Most of these visits included stops 

at the Roadside Park facilities and some 

tours of the town site. Fewer visits (about 

4,200) were made to the visitor contact 

facility at Township Hall. 

Informational signs on U.S. Highway 24 

advise visitors to tune to a local radio 

station for a story about Nicodemus. The 

broadcast, narrated by actor Danny 

Glover, also invites travelers to visit 

Nicodemus and the Nicodemus National 

Historic Site visitor contact facility. 

Because Nicodemus is a town, visitors can 

see all of the primary historic buildings at 

any time. Although the small size of the 

town is generally conducive to visiting on 

foot, sometimes temperature extremes 

tend to encourage visitors to tour in their 

vehicles. 

The visitor contact facility is in the 

Township Hall. NPS rangers staff the 

visitor contact facility daily during the 

summer months and less frequently 

throughout the remainder of the year, 

depending on staff availability. Here 

visitors receive a brief orientation to the 

site, general information, and personal 

interpretive services from NPS staff. 

Additional services available at the facility 

include a site brochure, exhibits, video 

programs, and a cooperating association 

sales outlet. An interim site brochure and 

walking tour pamphlet/map provide 

visitors more information and interpretation. Rangers, when available, also 

provide guided tours through Nicodemus. 

The national historic site sponsors special 

speakers for the Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations. 

There is an informational wayside exhibit 

at each historic structure. Restrooms are 

available in the Township Hall, with two 

wheelchair accessible outdoor toilets 

nearby the hall. Other amenities, such as 

water and picnic tables, are provided at 

the Roadside Park on Highway 24 and 

also in front of Township Hall. The 

community of Nicodemus provides no 

service stations, stores, or motels, but it 

does have a small restaurant. Nearby 

towns providing some or all of these 

services are Bogue (5 miles west), Hill City 

(12 miles west), and Stockton (20 miles 

east). A local heritage tourism service 

provides a barbecue and history tour by 

horse-drawn wagon (reservations 

required). 

62
 63 

Figure 9. The Nicodemus Tow nship Hall and NPS visitor contact facility. 

SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 

Population and Economy 

The northwestern region of Kansas has 

the lowest population density in the state. 

Graham County had a population density 

of 3.3 persons per square mile in 2000. 

Although agriculture has historically been 

a major factor in the economy, its role is 

declining. Future projections for the 

regional economy indicate that the 

strongest growth would occur in serviceproducing industries (education, health 

care, government). 

Graham County was organized in 1880. By 

1910 the population of the county hit a 

high of 8,700. Since 1910 the county has 

declined in most census years, reaching a 

low of 2,946 in the 2000 census. The 

estimated population in 2002 was 2,847 

(US Bureau of the Census). About half of 

the county’s residents live in Hill City, the 

county seat. The remaining residents are 

scattered on farms and small outlying 

communities. About one-fifth of the work 

force is employed in farming. Per capita 

income for Graham County was $18,050 

in 2000. 

Nicodemus has retained its historic agricultural character and setting. However,

like in other small, unincorporated Kansas 

towns, the declining regional agricultural 

economy has caused a significant drop in 

both population and the local economy. 

The current population of Nicodemus 

Township is about 60. The town of Nicodemus, which had a reported population 

of 73 in 1910, has about 20 residents 

today, many of whom are over the age of 

60. There are no commercial establishments in Nicodemus, other than the nonprofit Western National Parks Association 

bookstore in the NPS visitor contact 

facility. A privately operated business 

provides horse-drawn wagon tours of 

Nicodemus. In 2001 residents of the 

Nicodemus Township began a flour-
milling cooperative using locally grown 

wheat. The co-op produces flour branded 

as “Promised Land Flour” and pancake 

mix branded as “Nicodemus Pancakes.” 

The co-op promotes the preservation of 

Nicodemus on their products and literature. Although their mill was originally in 

Nicodemus, it is currently in larger 

facilities in Bogue. 

Landownership and Use 

Current landownership within the 

national historic site is a combination of 

private and public. Among the historic 

structures listed above, only the Township 

Hall and the A.M.E. Church are publicly 

owned. The others are held privately: the 

Old First Baptist Church is owned by the 

congregation, the Nicodemus School is 

owned by the American Legion, and the 

former St. Francis Hotel is privately 

owned. 

Access and Orientation 

On U.S. Highway 24, Nicodemus is 12 

miles east of Hill City, Kansas, and 39 

miles north of Interstate 70. A two-lane 

highway, U.S. 24 is lightly traveled east of 

Nicodemus averaging less than 875 

vehicles per day. Traffic doubles on U.S. 

24 west of Nicodemus leading into Hill 

City, a local hub for school and business 

activity and the junction of north-south 

highway U.S. 283. The Solomon Valley 

Heritage Alliance, Inc. was recently 

formed to promote heritage tourism and 

economic development along U.S. 24. 

Commercial air service is available in 

Hays, Kansas, 60 miles south of 

Nicodemus.

64
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 

INTRODUCTION 

The National Environmental Policy Act 

requires that environmental documents 

discuss the environmental impacts of a 

proposed federal action, feasible alternatives to that action, and any adverse 

environmental effects that cannot be 

avoided if a proposed action is implemented. The National Park Service has 

prepared this General Management 

Plan/Environmental Assessment in 

accordance with this act and its 

implementing guidelines. Following 

public review of the plan, the National 

Park Service will issue either a finding of 

no significant impact and acceptance of 

one of the alternatives as the approved 

plan to implement or a notice of intent to 

prepare an environmental impact statement. Additional compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act may 

be required during the design and implementation phases of the approved plan. 

This section analyzes the environmental 

impacts of implementing the four alternatives on cultural resources, visitor use, and 

the socioeconomic environment. This 

analysis provides the basis for comparing 

the effects of the alternatives. The impact 

analysis and conclusions were based 

largely on the review of existing literature 

and studies, information provided by NPS 

experts, and professional judgment. 

Due to the conceptual nature of the 

alternatives, their potential consequences 

can be addressed only in qualitative terms. 

Before undertaking specific actions 

proposed in this management plan, the 

National Park Service would determine 

whether additional compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act is 

required or not and whether more 

detailed environmental documents would 

need to be prepared. 

METHODOLOGY 

Impacts can be direct, indirect, or 

cumulative. Direct impacts result from 

specific actions, such as demolition of 

historic structures. Indirect impacts occur 

after project completion and are a result 

of changes in visitor-use patterns or management of resources fostered by implementation of an action. Cumulative effects 

are the impacts on the environment that 

result from the incremental impact of the 

proposed action when added to other 

past, present, and reasonably foreseeable 

future actions, regardless of what agency 

(federal or nonfederal) or person undertakes such other action. Cumulative 

effects can result from individually minor, 

but collectively significant, actions taking 

place over a period of time. 

Potential impacts are described in terms 

of type, either beneficial or adverse 

effects. Potential impacts are also 

described in terms of context (sitespecific, local, or regional effects), 

duration (short-term, lasting less than one 

year or long-term, lasting more than one 

year), and intensity (negligible, minor, 

moderate, or major). Because definitions 

of intensity vary by impact topic, intensities are defined separately for each impact 

topic analyzed in this document. 

65
Cultural Resources 

Intensity Definitions 

In this environmental assessment, impacts 

on cultural resources (historic structures, 

cultural landscapes, ethnographic 

resources, and museum collections) are 

described in terms of type, context, 

duration, and intensity, which is consistent with the regulations of the Council on 

Environmental Quality (CEQ) that 

implement the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA). These impact analyses 

are intended to comply with the requirements of both the National Environmental Policy Act and Section 106 of the 

National Historic Preservation Act. In 

accordance with the Advisory Council on 

Historic Preservation’s regulations 

implementing Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR Part 

800, Protection of Historic Properties), 

impacts on historic structures, cultural 

landscapes, ethnographic resources, 

archeological resources, and museum 

collections were identified and evaluated 

by (1) determining the area of potential 

effects; (2) identifying cultural resources 

present in the area of potential effects that 

are either listed in or eligible to be listed in 

the National Register of Historic Places; 

(3) applying the criteria of adverse effect 

to affected cultural resources either listed 

in or eligible to be listed in the national 

register; and (4) considering ways to 

avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse 

effects. 

Under the Advisory Council’s regulations 

a determination of either adverse effect or 

no adverse effect must also be made for 

affected, national-register-eligible cultural 

resources. An adverse effect occurs 

whenever an impact alters, directly or 

indirectly, any characteristic of a cultural 

resource that qualify it for inclusion on 

the national register, e.g., diminishing the 

integrity of the resource’s location, design, 

setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, 

or association. Adverse effects also 

include reasonably foreseeable effects 

caused by the actions proposed in the 

alternatives that would occur later in time, 

be farther in distance, or be cumulative 

(36 CFR Part 800.5, Assessment of Adverse 

Effects). A determination of no adverse 

effect means there is an effect but the 

effect would not diminish in any way the 

characteristics of the cultural resource 

that qualify it for inclusion on the national 

register. 

CEQ regulations and the NPS 

Conservation Planning, Environmental 

Impact Analysis and Decision-making

(Director’s Order #12) also call for a 

discussion of the appropriateness of 

mitigation, as well as an analysis of how 

effective the mitigation would be in 

reducing the intensity of a potential 

impact, e.g., reducing the intensity of an 

impact from major to moderate or minor. 

Any resultant reduction in intensity of 

impact due to mitigation, however, is an 

estimate of the effectiveness of mitigation 

under the National Environmental Policy 

Act only. It does not suggest that the level 

of effect as defined by Section106 is 

similarly reduced. Cultural resources are 

nonrenewable resources and adverse 

effects generally consume, diminish, or 

destroy the original historic materials 

or form, resulting in a loss in the 

integrity of the resource that can never 

be recovered. Therefore, although 

actions determined to have an adverse 

effect under Section 106 may be 

mitigated, the effect remains adverse.

66
A “Section 106 Summary” paragraph is 

included in the impact analysis sections 

for cultural resources under the alternatives. The Section106 summary provides a 

preliminary determination of effect based 

on currently available information. The 

state historic preservation office will be 

invited to participate in the development 

of future implementation plans, and a 

formal determination of effect will be 

sought at that time. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be an 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — rehabilitation of a 

structure or building is in accordance 

with the Secretary of the Interior’s 

Standards for the Treatment of Historic 

Properties. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Major:

Adverse impact — impact would alter 

a character-defining feature(s) of the 

structure or building, diminishing the 

integrity of the resource to the extent 

that it is no longer eligible to be listed in 

the national register. 

Historic Structures

Negligible: Impact(s) is at the lowest 

levels of detection — barely perceptible 

and not measurable. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be 

adverse effect. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — restoration of a 

structure or building is in accordance 

with the Secretary of the Interior’s 

Standards for the Treatment of Historic 

Properties. 

Minor: 

Adverse impact — impact would not 

adversely affect the character-defining 

features of a National Register of 

Historic Places eligible or listed 

structure or building. For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — stabilization/ 

preservation of character-defining 

features is in accordance with the 

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for 

the Treatment of Historic Properties. 

Cultural Landscapes

Negligible: Impact(s) is at the lowest 

levels of detection — barely perceptible 

For purposes of Section 106, the and not measurable. 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

Moderate: adverse effect. 

Adverse impact — impact would alter Minor: 

a character-defining feature(s) of the 

structure or building but would not 

diminish the integrity of the resource to 

the extent that its national register 

eligibility is jeopardized. 

Adverse impact — impact(s) would 

not adversely affect the characterdefining patterns and features of a 

National Register of Historic Placeseligible or listed cultural landscape. 

67
For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — preservation of 

character-defining patterns and 

features is in accordance with the 

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for 

the Treatment of Historic Properties with 

Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural 

Landscapes. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Moderate:

Adverse impact — impact(s) would 

alter a character-defining pattern(s) or 

feature(s) of the cultural landscape but 

would not diminish the integrity of the 

landscape to the extent that its national 

register eligibility is jeopardized. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be an 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — rehabilitation of a 

landscape or its patterns and features is 

in accordance with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards for the Treatment 

of Historic Properties with Guidelines for 

the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Major:

Adverse impact — impact(s) would 

alter a character-defining pattern(s) or 

feature(s) of the cultural landscape, 

diminishing the integrity of the 

landscape to the extent that it is no 

longer eligible to be listed in the 

national register. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — restoration of a 

landscape or its patterns and features is 

in accordance with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards for the Treatment 

of Historic Properties with Guidelines for 

the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Ethnographic Resources 

Negligible: Impact(s) would be barely 

perceptible and would neither alter 

resource conditions, such as traditional 

access or site preservation, nor the 

relationship between the resource and 

the affiliated group’s body of practices 

and beliefs. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties traditional cultural 

properties would be no adverse effect. 

Minor: 

Adverse impact — impact(s) would be 

slight but noticeable but would neither 

appreciably alter resource conditions, 

such as traditional access or site 

preservation, nor the relationship 

between the resource and the affiliated 

group’s body of practices and beliefs. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be no adverse 

effect.

Beneficial impact — would allow 

access to and/or accommodate a 

group’s traditional practices or beliefs. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be no adverse 

effect. 

Moderate: 

Adverse impact — impact(s) would be 

apparent and would alter resource 

conditions. Something would interfere 

68
with traditional access, site preservaion, or the relationship between the 

resource and the affiliated group’s 

practices and beliefs, even though the 

group’s practices and beliefs would 

survive. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be an adverse 

effect. 

Beneficial impact — would facilitate 

traditional access and/or accommodate 

a group’s practices or beliefs. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be no adverse 

effect.

Major: 

Adverse impact — impact(s) would 

alter resource conditions. Something 

would block or greatly affect 

traditional access, site preservation, or 

the relationship between the resource 

and the affiliated group’s body of 

practices and beliefs, to the extent that 

the survival of a group’s practices 

and/or beliefs would be jeopardized. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be adverse 

effect. 

Beneficial impact — would encourage 

traditional access and/or accommodate 

a group’s practices or beliefs. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect on traditional 

cultural properties would be no adverse 

effect.

Archeological Resources 

Negligible: Impact is at the lowest levels 

of detection — barely measurable with 

no perceptible consequences, either 

adverse or beneficial, to archeological 

resources. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Minor: 

Adverse impact — Disturbance of a 

site(s) results in little, if any, loss of 

significance or integrity and the 

national register eligibility of the site(s) 

is unaffected. 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — Maintenance 

and preservation of a site(s). 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Moderate: 

Adverse impact — Disturbance of a 

site(s) does not diminish the 

significance or integrity of the site(s) 

to the extent that its National Register 

eligibility is jeopardized. For purposes 

of Section 106, the determination of 

effect would be adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — Stabilization of a 

site(s). 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would be no 

adverse effect. 

Major: 

Adverse impact — Disturbance of a 

site(s) diminishes the significance and 

integrity of the site(s) to the extent that 

it is no longer eligible for listing in the 

National Register. For purposes of 

Section 106, the determination of 

effect would be adverse effect. 

Beneficial impact — Active 

intervention to preserve a site(s). 

For purposes of Section 106, the 

determination of effect would no 

adverse effect. 

69
Museum Collections Minor: Changes in visitor experience or 

safety would be detectable, although 

the changes would be slight. The 

changes would affect a relatively small 

number of visitors, a localized area, or 

have barely perceptible consequences 

to most visitors. 

Negligible: Impact is at the lowest levels 

of detection — barely measurable with 

no perceptible consequences, either 

adverse or beneficial, to museum 

collections. 

Moderate: Changes in visitor experience 

or safety would be readily apparent and 

would affect a relatively large number 

of visitors. 

Minor:

Adverse impact — would affect the 

integrity of few items in the museum 

collection but would not degrade the 

usefulness of the collection for future 

research and interpretation. 

Major: Changes in visitor experience or 

safety would be severely adverse or 

exceptionally beneficial, highly 

noticeable, and would affect relatively 

large numbers of visitors. 

Beneficial impact — would stabilize 

the current condition of the collection 

or its constituent components to 

minimize degradation. 

Moderate:

Socioeconomic Environment Intensity 

Definitions 

Adverse impact — would affect the 

integrity of many items in the museum 

collection and diminish the usefulness 

of the collection for future research 

and interpretation. 

Negligible: the impact would be barely 

detectable and would have no 

discernable effect on the community of 

Nicodemus. 

Beneficial impact — would improve 

the condition of the collection or its 

constituent parts from the threat of 

degradation. 

Minor: the impact would be slightly 

detectable but would not have an 

appreciable effect on the local 

economy or population, or local land 

use within the community of 

Nicodemus. 

Major: 

Adverse impact — would affect the 

integrity of most items in the museum 

collection and destroy the usefulness of 

the collection for future research and 

interpretation. 

Moderate: the impact would be clearly 

detectable and could have an 

appreciable effect on the local 

economy and population, and it could 

affect local land use within the 

community of Nicodemus. 

Beneficial impact — would secure the 

condition of the collection as a whole 

or its constituent components from the 

threat of further degradation. 

Major: the impact would have a 

substantial, highly noticeable influence 

on the local economy and population 

and would result in extensive local land 

use changes within the community of 

Nicodemus. 

Visitor Experience Intensity Definitions 

Negligible: Visitors would not be affected 

or there would be no noticeable change 

in visitor experience or safety. 

70
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 

Cumulative impacts are defined as “the 

impact on the environment which results 

from the incremental impact of the action 

when added to other past, present, or 

reasonably foreseeable future actions 

regardless of what agency (federal or 

nonfederal) or person undertakes such 

actions” (40 CFR 1508.7). Cumulative 

impacts can result from individually 

minor but collectively significant actions 

taking place over a period of time. 

Cumulative impacts analyzed in this 

document consider the incremental 

effects of the alternatives in conjunction 

with the anticipated continuing net loss of 

population within the community of 

Nicodemus and surrounding Graham 

County. 

IMPAIRMENT OF NATIONAL 

HISTORIC SITE RESOURCES OR 

VALUES 

In addition to determining the environmental consequences of the preferred and 

other alternatives, NPS Management 

Policies (NPS 2001) and Director’s Order12, Conservation Planning, Environmental 

Impact Analysis, and Decision-making, 

require that potential effects be analyzed 

to determine whether or not proposed 

actions would impair the resources or 

values of the national historic site. 

The fundamental purpose of the national 

park system, established by the Organic 

Act and reaffirmed by the General 

Authorities Act, as amended, begins with a 

mandate to conserve park unit resources 

and values. NPS managers must always 

seek ways to avoid or minimize to the 

greatest degree practicable adverse 

impacts on park unit resources and values. 

However, the laws do give the National 

Park Service management discretion to 

allow impacts to park unit resources and 

values when necessary and appropriate to 

fulfill the purposes of a park unit as long 

as the impact does not constitute 

impairment of the affected resources and 

values unless a particular law directly and 

specifically provides otherwise. The 

prohibited impairment is an impact that, 

in the professional judgment of the 

responsible NPS manager, would harm 

the integrity of the park unit’s resources 

or values, including opportunities that 

otherwise would be present for the 

enjoyment of those resources or values. 

An impact to any park unit resource or 

value may constitute an impairment. 

However, an impact would more likely 

constitute an impairment to the extent it 

affects a resource or value whose 

conservation is 

x necessary to fulfill specific purposes 

identified in the establishing 

legislation or proclamation of the park 

x key to the natural or cultural integrity 

of the park or to opportunities for 

enjoyment of the park; or 

x identified as a goal in the park’s 

general management plan or other 

relevant NPS planning documents 

A determination of impairment is made 

within each “Conclusion” section for 

impacts on historic structures and 

districts, ethnographic resources, and 

cultural landscapes. 

71
IMPACTS ON CULTURAL 

RESOURCES 

NPS artifacts, which include objects from 

the A.M.E. Church, and their associated 

records have been documented, 

stabilized, and stored. The National Park 

Service would continue to curate and 

maintain collections under its management in accordance with agency policy. 

Consequently, impacts on museum 

objects would be negligible. 

Alternative 1: No Action 

Analysis. The National Park Service 

would continue to own the A.M.E. 

Church. The National Park Service would 

also preserve the structure to maintain the 

building’s integrity and character. This 

would be a minor long-term beneficial 

impact. 

Archeological sites would be surveyed, 

inventoried, and evaluated under 

National Register of Historic Places 

criteria of evaluation to determine their 

eligibility for listing in the national register 

as staff and funding permit. All grounddisturbing activities such as structure 

stabilization would be preceded by sitespecific archeological surveys and, where 

appropriate, subsurface testing to determine the existence of archeological 

resources. If archeological resources were 

discovered, the resources would be identified, evaluated, and documented and an 

appropriate mitigation strategy developed 

— if necessary in consultation with the 

Kansas state historic preservation office. 

The four remaining historic structures (St. 

Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, 

Township Hall, and Old First Baptist 

Church) would continue to be non-NPS 

owned, and the National Park Service 

would stabilize these properties only if 

they were in imminent danger of being 

physically lost. Although loss of the 

structures would be prevented, without 

the availability of funding and technical 

assistance from the National Park Service, 

it would be unlikely that owners of the 

four historic properties could keep up 

with the maintenance and preservation 

needs of these aging structures. Some loss 

of integrity of these historic properties 

could occur over time, which would be a 

long-term, moderate, adverse impact. 

In the unlikely event that human remains 

of any origin were discovered during 

construction, they and any associated 

objects would be treated respectfully in 

accordance with the beliefs of their 

cultural affiliation and according to applicable laws. If remains were of American 

Indian origin, provisions of the Native 

American Graves and Repatriation Act 

would be implemented. With implementation of archeological investigations 

before ground-disturbing activities to 

ensure that archeological resources were 

understood and that they would not be 

damaged or lost, potential impacts on 

archeological resources would be 

negligible. 

The historic structures and their environs 

are features or components of 

Nicodemus' cultural landscape. The 

historic structures would be stabilized if 

necessary to prevent their loss. Impacts on 

the cultural landscape would therefore be 

negligible. 

This alternative would not alter the 

community’s use of the five national 

historic site properties. Therefore, there 

would be a negligible impact on 

ethnographic resources. 

72
Cumulative Impacts. Because the 

continued net loss of population within 

the town and county would not contribute to the impacts associated with the 

no-action alternative, there would be no 

cumulative impacts under this alternative. 

Conclusion. Under the no-action 

alternative, there would be a minor longterm beneficial impact on the NPS-owned 

A.M.E. Church and a long-term, 

moderate, adverse impact on the four 

remaining non-NPS owned historic 

structures. 

Impacts on the cultural landscape, 

ethnographic resources, archeological 

resources, and museum collections would 

be negligible. There would be no cumulative impacts. There would be no impairment to national historic site resources 

necessary to fulfill specific purposes 

identified in the site’s enabling legislation 

or key to the cultural integrity of the site. 

Analysis. The National Park Service 

would continue to own and adaptively 

reuse the A.M.E. Church. A higher level of 

treatment than stabilization would be 

anticipated under this alternative for the 

A.M.E. Church. Compared to the noaction alternative this would result in a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on 

the church. The four remaining historic 

structures (St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus 

School, Township Hall, and Old First 

Baptist Church) would continue to be 

non-NPS owned and the National Park 

Service would stabilize these properties 

only if they were in imminent danger of 

being physically lost. However, the 

National Park Service would also provide 

technical assistance to the community to 

help ensure the properties’ long-term 

preservation. Loss of the integrity of these 

historic properties over time would be less 

likely to occur due to this increased 

support, which would be a long-term, 

minor, beneficial impact. 

Section 106 Summary. In accordance 

with the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation’s regulations (36 CFR 800) 

implementing Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act, the National 

Park Service finds that the no-action 

alternative could have an adverse effect on 

the St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, 

Township Hall, and Old First Baptist 

Church due to the potential diminishment 

of their integrity over time. The determination of effect for other historic 

properties is anticipated to be no adverse 

effect. 

The preservation of historic structures/ 

buildings and cultural landscapes would 

be consistent with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for 

Archeology and Historic Preservation, NPS 

Management Policies 2001, and Director’s 

Order-28 (Cultural Resource Management 

Guideline). More detailed treatment plans 

would be developed in consultation with 

the Kansas state historic preservation 

officer. 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

The National Park Service would, if 

necessary to prevent their physical loss, 

stabilize the four non-NPS owned historic 

site properties that contribute to the 

cultural landscape. (As stated above, the 

A.M.E. church would receive a higher 

level of treatment than stabilization). In 

addition, the National Park Service would 

provide the community with technical 

assistance to guide long-term preservation 

73
of the cultural landscape within the 

national historic landmark district. These 

actions would enhance protection of the 

cultural landscape, a long-term, minor, 

beneficial effect. Although a new visitor 

contact facility would be constructed 

under this alternative, it would be outside 

the national historic landmark district and 

would have a negligible impact on the 

cultural landscape of the landmark 

district. 

As under the other alternatives, archeological sites would be surveyed, inventoried, and evaluated under National 

Register of Historic Places criteria of 

evaluation to determine their eligibility for 

listing in the national register as staff and 

funding permit. All ground-disturbing 

activities such as structure stabilization or 

rehabilitation would be preceded by sitespecific archeological surveys and, where 

appropriate, subsurface testing to 

determine the existence of archeological 

resources. If archeological resources were 

discovered, the resources would be 

identified, evaluated, and documented 

and an appropriate mitigation strategy 

developed — if necessary in consultation 

with the Kansas state historic preservation 

office. 

This alternative would not alter the 

community’s use of the five national 

historic site properties. However, 

visitation would be likely to increase 

somewhat under this alternative and there 

would be an increased likelihood that 

visitors could at times interfere with or 

impose on community activities associated with the properties. This could be a 

minor, long-term, adverse effect on the 

community’s use of these ethnographic 

resources. 

In the unlikely event that human remains 

of any origin were discovered during 

construction, they and any associated 

objects would be treated respectfully in 

accordance with the beliefs of their 

cultural affiliation and according to applicable laws. If remains were of American 

Indian origin, provisions of the Native 

American Graves and Repatriation Act 

would be implemented. With implementation of archeological investigations 

before ground-disturbing activities to 

ensure that archeological resources were 

understood and that they would not be 

damaged or lost, potential impacts on 

archeological resources would be 

negligible. 

As with the other alternatives, NPS 

artifacts, which include objects from the 

A.M.E. Church, and their associated 

records have been documented, 

stabilized, and stored. The National Park 

Service would continue to curate and 

maintain collections under its management in accordance with agency policy. In 

addition, the National Park Service would 

provide technical curatorial assistance for 

the stabilization and preservation of 

private collections related to the five 

national historic site properties and would 

recommend upgrades to a local facility 

should it be necessary to remove and store 

such collections. Impacts on museum 

collections would be minor, beneficial, 

and long term due to the improved 

curatorial capabilities and facility within 

the community. 

Cumulative Impacts. Because the 

continued net loss of population within 

the town and county would not contribute to the impacts associated with 

alternative 2, there would be no cumulative impacts under this alternative. 

74
Conclusion. Alternative 2 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on 

the NPS-owned A.M.E. Church and a 

minor, long-term, beneficial impact on the 

four remaining non-NPS owned historic 

structures. 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 

Analysis. The National Park Service 

would continue to own the A.M.E. 

Church and would also seek to acquire 

the other four historic structures (the St. 

Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, 

Township Hall, and the Old First Baptist 

Church) and the Roadside Park. The 

historic structures would be adaptively 

reused and a higher level of treatment 

than stabilization of these buildings would 

occur under this alternative. This would 

include preservation of the façades in the 

short term and further treatment such as 

preservation or rehabilitation to accommodate educational and interpretive uses 

in the long term. Compared to the noaction alternative this would result in a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact. 

Impacts on the cultural landscape and 

museum collections would be minor, long 

term, and beneficial. Impacts on archeological resources would be negligible. The 

increased likelihood of visitors intruding 

at times on community activities associated with the historic properties could 

result in a minor, long-term, adverse effect 

on the community’s use of these ethnographic resources. There would be no 

cumulative impacts. There would be no 

impairment of national historic site 

resources necessary to fulfill specific 

purposes identified in the site’s enabling 

legislation or key to the cultural integrity 

of the site. 

The National Park Service would stabilize 

and provide a further level of treatment to 

the five national historic site properties 

that contribute to the cultural landscape. 

In addition, the National Park Service 

would provide technical assistance to the 

community that would help guide longterm preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district. These actions would 

enhance protection of the cultural 

landscape, a long-term, minor, beneficial 

effect. An orientation facility would be 

constructed at the Roadside Park within 

the national historic landmark district 

under this alternative. The impact of this 

new structure, however, would be minimized because it would be constructed in 

a style compatible with other buildings in 

Nicodemus and would be located near the 

perimeter of the town to minimize intrusion on the overall landscape. Construction of a new building would thus have a 

Section 106 Summary. In accordance 

with the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation’s regulations (36 CFR 800) 

implementing Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act, the National 

Park Service finds that alternative 2 would 

have no adverse effect on historic 

properties. 

The preservation of historic structures/ 

buildings and cultural landscapes would 

be consistent with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for 

Archeology and Historic Preservation, NPS 

Management Policies 2001, and Director’s 

Order-28 (Cultural Resource Management 

Guideline). More detailed treatment plans 

would be developed in consultation with 

the Kansas state historic preservation 

officer. 

75
minor, long-term, adverse impact on the 

cultural landscape. 

This alternative would alter the community’s use of the four currently nonNPS owned historic properties (St. 

Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, and 

Old First Baptist Church) should the 

National Park Service acquire them, 

because the National Park Service would 

then manage use of these buildings. In 

addition, visitation would likely increase 

under this alternative and there would be 

an increased likelihood that visitors could 

at times interfere with or impose on 

community activities associated with the 

properties. These changes in use would 

result in a minor long-term, adverse 

impact to the community’s use of these 

ethnographic resources. 

As with the other alternatives, NPS 

artifacts, which include objects from the 

A.M.E. Church, and their associated 

records have been documented, 

stabilized, and stored. The National Park 

Service would continue to curate and 

maintain collections under its management in accordance with agency policy. In 

addition, the National Park Service would 

provide curatorial storage and would 

manage artifacts or materials associated 

with Nicodemus. Impacts to museum 

collections would be moderate, beneficial, 

and long term due to the much improved 

curatorial and management capabilities 

provided by additional curatorial storage 

within the community. 

As under the other alternatives, archeological sites would be surveyed, inventoried, and evaluated under National 

Register of Historic Places criteria of 

evaluation to determine their eligibility for 

listing in the national register as staff and 

funding permit. All ground-disturbing 

activities such as structure stabilization or 

rehabilitation would be preceded by sitespecific archeological surveys and, where 

appropriate, subsurface testing to determine the existence of archeological 

resources. If archeological resources were 

discovered, the resources would be identified, evaluated, and documented and an 

appropriate mitigation strategy developed 

— if necessary in consultation with the 

Kansas state historic preservation office. 

In the unlikely event that human remains 

of any origin were discovered during construction, they and any associated objects 

would be treated respectfully in accordance with the beliefs of their cultural 

affiliation and according to applicable 

laws. If remains were of American Indian 

origin, provisions of the Native American 

Graves and Repatriation Act would be 

implemented. With implementation of 

archeological investigations before 

ground-disturbing activities to ensure that 

archeological resources were understood 

and that they would not be damaged or 

lost, potential impacts on archeological 

resources would be negligible. 

Cumulative Impacts. Because the continued net loss of population within the town 

and county would not contribute to the 

impacts associated with alternative 3, 

there would be no cumulative impacts 

under this alternative. 

Conclusion. Alternative 3 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on 

the NPS-owned A.M.E. Church and the 

other four historic structures (St. Francis 

Hotel, Nicodemus School, Township 

Hall, and Old First Baptist Church) that 

would be acquired by the National Park 

Service. 

76
Impacts on the cultural landscape would 

be minor, long-term, and beneficial due to 

NPS technical assistance to guide longterm preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district. There would be a minor, 

long-term, adverse impact on the cultural 

landscape due to the addition of a new 

NPS orientation structure within the 

national historic landmark district. 

Changes in use of the four historic 

properties acquired by the National Park 

Service as well as the increased likelihood 

of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the historic 

properties would result in a minor longterm, adverse effect on the community’s 

use of these ethnographic resources. 

Impacts on archeological resources would 

be negligible. Impacts on museum collections would be moderate, long-term, 

and beneficial. There would be no cumulative impacts. There would be no impairment to national historic site resources 

necessary to fulfill specific purposes 

identified in the site’s enabling legislation 

or key to the cultural integrity of the site. 

Section 106 Summary. In accordance 

with the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation’s regulations (36 CFR 800) 

implementing Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act, the National 

Park Service finds that alternative 3 would 

have no adverse effect on historic 

properties. 

The preservation of historic structures/ 

buildings and cultural landscapes would 

be consistent with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for 

Archeology and Historic Preservation, NPS 

Management Policies 2001, and Director’s 

Order-28 (Cultural Resource Management 

Guideline). More detailed treatment plans 

would be developed in consultation with 

the Kansas state historic preservation 

officer. 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 

Analysis. The National Park Service 

would continue to own the A.M.E. church 

and would also seek to acquire the St. 

Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, and the 

Old First Baptist Church. The historic 

structures would be adaptively reused and 

a higher level of treatment than stabilization of these buildings would occur under 

this alternative. This would include rehabilitation of the façade in the short term 

and further treatment such as preservation or rehabilitation to accommodate 

educational and interpretive uses in the 

long term. Compared to the no-action 

alternative this would result in a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact. 

The Township Hall would continue to be 

non-NPS owned and the National Park 

Service would stabilize this property only 

if it were in imminent danger of being 

physically lost. However, the National 

Park Service would also provide technical 

assistance to the community to help 

ensure the property’s long-term preservation. Loss of the integrity of this historic 

property over time would be less likely to 

occur due to this increased support, 

which would be a long-term, minor, 

beneficial impact. 

The National Park Service would, if 

necessary to prevent its physical loss, 

stabilize the Township Hall and provide a 

further level of treatment to the other four 

national historic site properties that contribute to the cultural landscape. In 

77
addition, the National Park Service would 

provide owners with technical assistance 

to guide long-term preservation of the 

cultural landscape within the national 

historic landmark district. These actions 

would enhance protection of the cultural 

landscape, a long-term, minor, beneficial 

impact. An orientation facility would be 

constructed at a portion of the Roadside 

Park and a new facility for administrative 

and support functions might also be 

constructed within the national historic 

landmark district under this alternative. 

The impact of these new structures, 

however, would be minimized because 

they would be constructed in a style 

compatible with other buildings in 

Nicodemus and would be located near the 

perimeter of the town to minimize intrusion on the overall landscape. Construction of new buildings would thus have a 

minor, long-term, adverse impact on the 

cultural landscape. 

As under the other alternatives, NPS 

artifacts, which include objects from the 

A.M.E. Church, and their associated 

records, have been documented, 

stabilized, and stored. The National Park 

Service would continue to curate and 

maintain collections under its management in accordance with agency policy. In 

addition, the National Park Service would 

provide curatorial storage and would 

manage artifacts or materials associated 

with Nicodemus. Impacts to museum 

collections would be moderate, beneficial, 

and long term due to the much improved 

curatorial and management capabilities 

provided by additional curatorial storage 

within the community. 

As under the other alternatives, archeological sites would be surveyed, inventoried, and evaluated under National 

Register of Historic Places criteria of 

evaluation to determine their eligibility for 

listing in the national register as staff and 

funding permit. All ground-disturbing 

activities such as structure stabilization or 

rehabilitation would be preceded by sitespecific archeological surveys and, where 

appropriate, subsurface testing to determine the existence of archeological 

resources. If archeological resources were 

discovered, the resources would be identified, evaluated, and documented and an 

appropriate mitigation strategy developed 

— if necessary in consultation with the 

Kansas state historic preservation office. 

This alternative would alter the community’s use of three of the currently non-NPS 

owned historic properties (St. Francis 

Hotel, Nicodemus School, and Old First 

Baptist Church) should the National Park 

Service acquire them, because the 

National Park Service would then manage 

use of these buildings. Although the Old 

First Baptist Church would still be made 

available for community activities it would 

be through arrangement with the National 

Park Service. In addition, visitation would 

likely increase under this alternative and 

there would be an increased likelihood 

that visitors could at times interfere with 

or impose on community activities associated with the properties. These changes in 

use would result in a minor, long-term, 

adverse impact on the community’s use of 

these ethnographic resources. 

In the unlikely event that human remains 

of any origin were discovered during 

construction, they and any associated 

objects would be treated respectfully in 

accordance with the beliefs of their 

cultural affiliation and according to 

applicable laws. If remains were of 

American Indian origin, provisions of the 

78
Native American Graves and Repatriation 

Act would be implemented. With implementation of archeological investigations 

before ground-disturbing activities to 

ensure that archeological resources were 

understood and that they would not be 

damaged or lost, potential impacts on 

archeological resources would be 

negligible. 

Impacts on archeological resources would 

be negligible. Impacts on museum 

collections would be moderate, long term, 

and beneficial. There would be no impairment to national historic site resources 

necessary to fulfill specific purposes 

identified in the site’s enabling legislation 

or key to the cultural integrity of the site. 

Section 106 Summary. In accordance 

with the Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation’s regulations (36 CFR 800) 

implementing Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act, the National 

Park Service finds that the alternative 4 

would have no adverse effect on historic 

properties. 

Cumulative Impacts. Because the continued net loss of population within the 

town and county would not contribute to 

the impacts associated with alternative 4, 

there would be no cumulative impacts 

under this alternative. 

Conclusion. Alternative 4 would have a 

moderate, long-term, beneficial impact on 

the NPS-owned A.M.E. Church and the 

St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School, and 

Old First Baptist Church that would be 

acquired by the National Park Service. 

There would be a minor, long-term, 

beneficial impact on the Township Hall, 

which would remain in town ownership. 

The preservation of historic structures/ 

buildings and cultural landscapes would 

be consistent with the Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for 

Archeology and Historic Preservation, NPS 

Management Policies 2001, and Director’s 

Order-28 (Cultural Resource Management 

Guideline). More detailed treatment plans 

would be developed in consultation with 

the Kansas state historic preservation 

officer. 

Impacts on the cultural landscape would 

be minor, long-term, and beneficial due to 

NPS technical assistance to guide longterm preservation of the cultural landscape within the national historic landmark district and minor, long-term, and 

adverse due to the addition of new NPS 

structures within the national historic 

landmark district. 

IMPACTS ON THE VISITOR 

EXPERIENCE 

Alternative 1: No Action 

Analysis. Overall the visitor experience 

would not change. NPS orientation and 

interpretation would continue to be 

limited. Private interpretive services 

would continue at the discretion of the 

providers. 

Changes in use of the St. Francis Hotel, 

Nicodemus School, and Old First Baptist 

Church as well as the increased likelihood 

of visitors intruding at times on community activities associated with the historic 

properties would result in a minor, longterm, adverse effect on the community’s 

use of these ethnographic resources. 

Cumulative Impacts. Because there 

would be no new impacts associated with 

79
this alternative, it would not contribute to 

impacts of other actions. Consequently 

there would be no cumulative impacts 

under the no-action alternative. 

Conclusion. There would be no 

noticeable change in visitor use or 

experience associated with Nicodemus. 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Analysis. There would be a minor 

beneficial effect on the visitor experience 

under this alternative. Visitors’ knowledge 

and understanding of Nicodemus would 

be enhanced by the addition of a visitor 

contact facility where visitors would 

receive orientation to the site and more 

comprehensive interpretation of the site’s 

story. Preparation of a long-range 

interpretation plan and provision of NPS 

assistance and training to the community 

in developing interpretive programs and 

skills would also help expand the range 

and enhance the quality of interpretive 

services available to visitors. 

Construction activities associated with 

facility construction and possible 

stabilization of historic structures would 

have visual and noise intrusions near the 

work sites. Impacts on visitors would be 

minor and short term. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus continues to decline, the 

community’s character as a living, 

evolving community would be affected. 

Also affected would be the opportunity 

for visitors to experience and interact with 

the community as an integral part of their 

visit. This would be a minor to moderate 

long-term adverse effect depending on the 

net loss of population and its effect on the 

continued viability of the community. 

Alternative 2 would contribute a minor 

short-term adverse effect and minor longterm beneficial effect to the overall cumulative impact on the visitor experience. 

Conclusion. Alternative 2 would have a 

minor beneficial effect on the visitor 

experience. Cumulative impacts on the 

visitor experience would be minor to 

moderate due primarily to the continued 

decline in the local population. Alternative 2 would contribute a minor shortterm adverse effect and minor long-term 

beneficial effect to the overall cumulative 

impact on the visitor experience. 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 

Analysis. There would be a moderate 

beneficial effect on the visitor experience 

under this alternative. Orientation to the 

site would be improved with the addition 

of a new visitor contact facility. Expanded 

interpretive and in-depth educational 

opportunities around and within the site’s 

historic structures would enhance visitors’ 

and students’ knowledge and understanding of Nicodemus. Preparation of a longrange interpretation plan would also help 

expand the range and enhance the quality 

of interpretive services available to 

visitors. 

Construction activities associated with 

facility construction and preservation of 

historic structures would have visual and 

noise intrusions near the work sites. 

Impacts on visitors would be minor and 

short term. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus continues to decline, the community’s character as a living, evolving 

80
community would be affected. Also 

affected would be the opportunity for 

visitors to experience and interact with 

the community as an integral part of their 

visit. This would be a minor to moderate 

long-term adverse effect depending on the 

net loss of population and its effect on the 

continued viability of the community. 

Alternative 3 would contribute a minor 

short-term adverse effect and minor to 

moderate long-term beneficial effect to 

the overall cumulative impact on the 

visitor experience. 

Construction activities associated with 

facility construction and preservation of 

historic structures would have visual and 

noise intrusions near the work sites. 

Impacts on visitors would be minor and 

short term. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus continues to decline, the 

community’s character as a living, evolving community would be affected. Also 

affected would be the opportunity for 

visitors to experience and interact with 

the community as an integral part of their 

visit. This would be a minor to moderate 

long-term adverse effect depending on the 

net loss of population and its effect on the 

continued viability of the community. 

Alternative 4 would contribute a minor 

short-term adverse effect and minor to 

moderate long-term beneficial effect to 

the overall cumulative impact on the 

visitor experience. 

Conclusion. Alternative 3 would have 

moderate long-term beneficial effect on 

the visitor experience. Cumulative 

impacts on the visitor experience would 

be minor to moderate due primarily to the 

continued decline in the local population. 

Alternative 3 would contribute a minor 

short-term adverse effect and minor to 

moderate long-term beneficial effect to 

the overall cumulative impact on the 

visitor experience. Conclusion. Alternative 4 would have 

moderate long-term beneficial effect on 

the visitor experience. Cumulative 

impacts on the visitor experience would 

be minor to moderate due primarily to the 

continued decline in the local population. 

Alternative 4 would contribute a minor 

short-term adverse effect and minor to 

moderate long-term beneficial effect to 

the overall cumulative impact on the 

visitor experience. 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 

Analysis. There would be a moderate 

beneficial effect on the visitor experience 

under this alternative. Orientation to the 

site would be improved with the addition 

of a new visitor contact facility. Expanded 

interpretive opportunities around and 

within the site’s historic structures would 

enhance visitors’ knowledge and understanding of Nicodemus. Preparation of a 

long-range interpretation plan and 

provision of NPS assistance and training 

to the community in developing interpretive programs and skills would also 

help expand the range and enhance the 

quality of interpretive services available to 

visitors. 

IMPACTS ON THE 

SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 

Alternative 1: No Action 

Analysis. The current low levels of visitation would likely continue. Impacts from 

visitor intrusions on the community and 

81
its lifestyle would continue to be long 

term and negligible. The no-action 

alternative would not change land use or 

economic opportunities in the 

community. 

Cumulative Impacts. Because there 

would be no new impacts associated with 

this alternative, it would not contribute to 

impacts of other actions. Consequently 

there would be no cumulative impacts 

under the no-action alternative. 

Conclusion. Visitor intrusions on the 

community would continue to be long 

term and negligible. There would be no 

change in land use or economic 

opportunities for the community. 

Alternative 2: Community Stewards 

Analysis. There would be some limited 

economic effects to the community of 

Nicodemus under alternative 2. This 

alternative would likely encourage some 

increase in visitation to Nicodemus, 

which would create economic opportunities for residents related to visitor 

services, such as presentation of private 

interpretive programs to the public. There 

might also be some temporary job opportunities for local labor during construction of the visitor contact facility and from 

stabilization of historic resources. Overall, 

increased economic opportunities would 

result in minor, long- and short-term 

benefits to the local economy. 

Adverse impacts on the social environment of the community would be long 

term and minor. Minimal onsite staffing 

and the limited role of the National Park 

Service proposed under alternative 2 

would not greatly affect the local 

population and culture. Use of a small 

portion of the Roadside Park for a visitor 

contact facility, would not preclude 

Emancipation/ Homecoming celebrations 

and other community activities from 

continuing. Construction activities 

associated with this facility and possible 

stabilization of historic structures would 

result in short-term visual and noise 

intrusions on residents. Increased 

visitation would increase the likelihood 

that visitors could at times interfere with 

or impose on community’s or resident’s 

activities or intrude on individuals’ 

privacy. However, visitation would be 

expected to remain low, and visitor 

parking and basic orientation and 

interpretation would be provided at the 

visitor contact facility, thus minimizing 

disruption to the community. There 

would be no change in land use. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus and surrounding Graham 

County continues to decline, adverse 

impacts on the community and local 

economy would be minor to moderate 

depending on the net loss of population 

and its effect on the continued viability of 

the community. Alternative 2 would 

contribute a minor beneficial economic 

effect to the overall cumulative impact. It 

would also contribute a minor adverse 

effect on the community’s social environment to the overall cumulative impact. 

Conclusion. Alternative 2 would result in 

minor, long- and short-term benefits to 

the local economy. Adverse impacts on 

the community from NPS activities and 

visitors would be long term and minor. 

There would be no change in land use. 

Cumulative impacts on the community 

and local economy would be minor to 

moderate due primarily to the continued 

82
decline in the local population. Alternative 2 would contribute a minor beneficial 

economic effect and a minor adverse impact on the community’s social environment to the overall cumulative impact. 

Alternative 3: The Learning Place 

Analysis. Alternative 3 would involve 

more extensive NPS expenditures in the 

community than in alternatives 1 and 2, as 

well as an increase in staffing. Potential 

demand for housing, acquisition of 

historic properties, and leasing of 

properties within the town for NPS 

administrative or support facilities would 

boost the local economy. Alternative 3 

would also encourage an increase in 

tourism to Nicodemus. There would be a 

potential for economic opportunities for 

residents to provide a wide variety of 

services to visitors and students. There 

may also be some temporary job opportunities for local labor during construction of new facilities and from preservation of historic structures. Overall, 

increased economic opportunities and 

increased NPS and visitor-related 

expenditures in the community would 

result in minor to moderate, long- and 

short-term benefits to the local economy. 

Impacts on the social environment of the 

community from NPS management 

activities and development, increased 

visitation and student use, and changes in 

land use would be long term, moderate, 

and adverse. Limited onsite staffing would 

not greatly affect the local population and 

culture. Use of a small portion of the 

Roadside Park for a visitor contact facility, 

would not preclude Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations and other 

community activities from continuing. 

The facility would be designed and 

located to blend with the surrounding 

community environment to minimize its 

visual intrusion. Construction activities 

associated with this facility and preservation of historic structures would result in 

short-term visual and noise intrusions on 

residents. Increased visitation coupled 

with an influx of groups of students to a 

variety of interpretive sites within the 

town would increase the likelihood that 

visitors would interfere with or impose on 

the community’s or resident’s activities or 

intrude on individuals’ privacy. Identification of dedicated visitor parking at some 

interpretive sites within the town might 

also be disruptive to town residents. The 

National Park Service would manage 

public circulation through the town in a 

manner that would minimize disruption 

to residents. There would also be a change 

in land use should the National Park 

Service acquire the four non-NPS owned 

national historic site properties. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus and surrounding Graham 

County continues to decline, adverse 

impacts on the community and local 

economy would be minor to moderate 

depending on the net loss of population 

and its effect on the continued viability of 

the community. Alternative 3 would 

contribute a minor to moderate beneficial 

economic effect on the overall cumulative 

impact. Alternative 3 would also contribute a moderate adverse impact on the 

community’s social environment to the 

overall cumulative impact. 

Conclusion. Alternative 3 would result in 

minor to moderate, long- and short-term 

benefits to the local economy. Impacts on 

the community’s social environment from 

NPS activities, visitors, students, and land 

83
use changes would be long-term, adverse, 

and moderate. Cumulative impacts on the 

community and local economy would be 

minor to moderate due primarily to the 

continued decline in the local population. 

Alternative 3 would contribute a minor to 

moderate beneficial economic effect and a 

moderate adverse effect on the community’s social environment to the overall 

cumulative impact. 

Alternative 4: Preferred Alternative 

Analysis. Alternative 4 would involve 

more extensive NPS expenditures in the 

community — as described in alternative 3 

— as well as an increase in staffing. Similar 

to alternative 3, potential demand for 

housing, acquisition of historic properties, 

and leasing of properties within the town 

for NPS administrative or support 

facilities would boost the local economy. 

Alternative 4 would also encourage an 

increase in tourism to Nicodemus. There 

would be a potential for economic 

opportunities for residents to provide a 

variety of services to visitors. There might 

also be some temporary job opportunities 

for local labor during construction of new 

facilities and from preservation of historic 

structures. Overall, increased economic 

opportunities and increased NPS and 

visitor-related expenditures in the 

community would result in minor to 

moderate, long- and short-term benefits 

to the local economy. 

Impacts on the social environment of the 

community would be similar to alternative 

3, however, student groups would not be 

actively encouraged and the National Park 

Service would seek to acquire one less 

structure. Limited onsite staffing would 

not greatly affect the local population and 

culture. Use of a small portion of the 

Roadside Park for a visitor contact facility 

would not preclude Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations and other 

community activities from continuing. 

The building would be located and 

designed to blend with the surrounding 

community environment to minimize its 

visual intrusion. Construction activities 

associated with this facility and preservation of historic structures would result in 

short-term visual and noise intrusions on 

residents. Increased visitation to interpretive sites within the town would 

increase the likelihood that the public 

would interfere with or impose on the 

community’s or resident’s activities or 

intrude on individuals’ privacy. Identification of dedicated visitor parking at some 

interpretive sites within the town might 

also be disruptive to town residents. The 

National Park Service would manage 

public circulation through the town in a 

manner that would minimize disruption 

to residents. There would also be a change 

in land use should the National Park 

Service acquire three of the non-NPS 

owned national historic site properties. 

Impacts on the community’s social 

environment from NPS management 

activities and development, increased 

visitation, and changes in land use would 

be long term, adverse, and minor. 

Cumulative Impacts. If the population of 

Nicodemus and surrounding Graham 

County continues to decline, adverse 

impacts on the community and local 

economy would be minor to moderate 

depending on the net loss of population 

and its effect on the continued viability of 

the community. Alternative 4 would 

contribute a minor to moderate beneficial 

economic effect on the overall cumulative 

impact. Alternative 4 would also 

84
contribute a minor adverse impact on the 

community’s social environment to the 

overall cumulative impact. 

Conclusion. Alternative 4 would result in 

minor to moderate, long- and short-term 

benefits to the local economy. Impacts on 

the community’s social environment from 

NPS activities, visitors, and land use 

changes would be long term, adverse, and 

minor. Cumulative impacts on the 

community and local economy would be 

minor to moderate due primarily to the 

continued decline in the local population. 

Alternative 4 would contribute a minor to 

moderate beneficial economic effect and a 

minor adverse effect on the community’s 

social environment to the overall 

cumulative impact. 

85
CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION / PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 

In summer 1997 the public was notified 

that a general management plan for 

Nicodemus National Historic Site was 

getting underway by means of announcements in the media. The opening of the 

scoping process coincided with the 

Emancipation/ Homecoming Celebration 

held in July. Hundreds of people attend 

this special event every year, and many 

questions, comments and suggestions 

were gathered from the attendees. Progress reports on the general management 

plan were shared with the public at each 

of the subsequent Emancipation/ 

Homecoming celebrations. 

After preliminary alternatives were 

crafted, members of the planning team 

met with each of the affected property 

owners to discuss the planning process 

and address their specific concerns. 

Throughout the process, informal 

discussions were held with township, 

county, and state government officials as 

the plan progressed. 

With the release of the Draft General 

Management Plan / Environmental 

Assessment, a series of public meetings will 

be held in Nicodemus and the surrounding area to discuss the plan with the public 

and gather additional input. 

In accordance with Section 106 of the 

National Historic Preservation Act of 

1966, as amended, the National Park 

Service has consulted with the Kansas 

state historic preservation officer and the 

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. In July 1997 letters were sent to both 

inviting their participation and involvement in the process. Copies of the internal 

draft document were shared with both 

agencies. 

Consultation with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service began in August 1997 

with a request for a list of federally listed 

threatened and endangered species that 

may occur in the vicinity of Nicodemus. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

responded that there was no suitable 

habitat remaining in a natural state and it 

was highly unlikely that any threatened or 

endangered species would occur in this 

location. Based on that assessment there 

has been no further consultation with the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

86




GLOSSARY 

The following definitions describe the 

meaning intended by the National Park 

Service in preparing this document. 

Archeological Resources: The National 

Park Service defines archeological 

resources as “physical evidences of past 

human activity, including evidences of the 

effects of that activity on the environment” (DO-28, NPS Cultural Resource 

Management Guideline, 1996). 

Character-defining feature: A 

prominent or distinctive aspect, quality, or 

characteristic of a historic property that 

contributes significantly to its physical 

character. Structures, objects, vegetation, 

spatial relationships, views, furnishings, 

decorative details, and materials may be 

such features. 

Contributing feature: An aspect of a 

person, place, or thing that contributes to 

or shares a part of the significance of the 

whole. 

Cultural landscape: A geographic area, 

including both cultural and natural 

resources and the wildlife or domestic 

animals therein, associated with a historic 

event, activity, or person or exhibiting 

other cultural or aesthetic values. 

Cultural resource: An aspect of a 

cultural system that is valued by or 

significantly representative of a culture or 

that contains significant information 

about a culture. A cultural resource may 

be a tangible entity or a cultural practice. 

Tangible cultural resources are 

categorized as districts, sites, buildings, 

structures, and objects for the National 

Register of Historic Places and as 

archeological resources, cultural 

landscapes, structures, museum objects, 

and ethnographic resources for NPS 

management purposes. 

Ethnographic Resource: Objects and 

places, including sites, structures, 

landscapes, and natural resources, with 

traditional cultural meaning and value to 

associated peoples. Ethnographic 

resources eligible for the National 

Register of Historic Places are called 

traditional cultural properties. 

Ethnography: Part of the discipline of 

cultural anthropology concerned with the 

systematic description and analysis of 

cultural systems or lifeways, such as 

hunting, agriculture, fishing, other food 

procurement strategies, family life 

festivals, and other religious celebrations. 

Ethnographic studies of contemporary 

people and cultures rely heavily on 

participant observation as well as 

interviews, oral histories, and review of 

relevant documents. Applied ethnography 

uses ethnographic data and concepts to 

identify contemporary issues and design 

feasible solutions. 

Interpretation: Educational services that 

provide opportunities for people to form 

their own intellectual and emotional 

connections to the park’s/site’s resources 

and thus come to a greater appreciation of 

the significant aspects of the country's 

natural or cultural heritage portrayed by 

those resources. At Nicodemus, 

interpretive services and programs will 

provide opportunities for visitors to make 

intellectual and emotional connections 

91
with the human stories represented by the 

site's buildings, landscape, and artifacts, 

and thus come to a greater understanding 

and appreciation of the historical context 

in which its founders and homesteaders 

came to Nicodemus, the perseverance and 

self-determination that characterized 

African Americans who contributed to the 

development of the American West, and 

how the Nicodemus community grew and 

changed in the context of late-19th and 

20th century America. 

Museum collection: An assemblage of 

objects, works of art, historic documents, 

and/or natural history specimens 

collected according to a rational scheme 

and maintained so they can be preserved, 

studied, and interpreted for public 

benefit. Museum collections normally are 

kept in park/site museums, although they 

may also be maintained in archeological 

and historic preservation centers. 

National Historic Landmark (NHL): A 

district, site, building, structure, or object 

of national historical significance that 

possesses exceptional value or quality in 

illustrating or interpreting the heritage of 

the United States in history, architecture, 

archeology, engineering, and/or culture, 

and is designated a national historic 

landmark district by the Secretary of the 

Interior under authority of the Historic 

Sites Act of 1935 and entered in the 

National Register of Historic Places. 

National Historic Site: A unit of the 

national park system authorized by the 

Secretary of the Interior (under authority 

of the Historic Sites Act of 1935) or by 

Congress for the purpose of preserving 

and interpreting a location that is 

nationally significant due to its association 

with broad themes in American history or 

an individual or group who influenced the 

course of American history; or because it 

is a strong example of a major 

architectural style. 

Preservation: The act or process of 

applying measures necessary to sustain 

the existing form, integrity, and materials 

of a historic property. Work, including 

preliminary measures to protect and 

stabilize the property, generally focuses 

on the ongoing maintenance and repair of 

historic materials and features rather than 

extensive replacement and new construction. New exterior additions are not 

within the scope of this treatment; 

however, the limited and sensitive 

upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and 

plumbing systems and other coderequired work to make properties 

functional is appropriate within a 

preservation project. 

Rehabilitation: The act or process of 

making possible a compatible use for a 

property through repair, alterations, and 

additions while preserving those portions 

or features that convey its historical, 

cultural, or architectural values. 

Stabilization: Action to render an unsafe, 

damaged, or deteriorated property stable 

while retaining its current form 

State historic preservation officer 

(SHPO): An official within each state 

appointed by the governor to administer 

the state historic preservation program 

and carry out certain responsibilities 

relating to federal undertakings within the 

state. 

Technical assistance: Technical expert 

advice on techniques related to 

preserving, stabilizing, repairing, or 

92
Visitor contact facility: A visitor contact 

facility is a structure that contains staff 

and media interpreting the story of the 

national historic site. Interpretive media 

may include videos, exhibits, artifacts, and 

similar objects. See the definition of 

interpretation for a better understanding 

of the purpose of a visitor contact facility. 

Such facilities usually offer sales items, 

such as books, that provide visitors with 

opportunities to learn more about the 

history of the area. A visitor contact 

facility contains basic amenities, such as 

restrooms and drinking water, to support 

visitor comfort. 

restoring cultural and, less frequently, 

natural resources. Cultural resources 

include historic structures, artifacts, 

archeological resources, and cultural 

landscapes. The assistance/advice might 

be provided when responding to 

individual requests and formally through 

special projects, workshops, courses, and 

similar efforts. Under some alternatives, 

assistance also includes assisting with 

writing grants for preservation and 

restoration work. In some alternatives 

that prescribe more substantial support 

from the National Park Service, assistance 

would also include the actual stabilization 

or preservation of resources. 

93
REFERENCES 

Bahr Vermeer Haecker Architects, Ltd. in 

association with Will Janney Elstner 

Associates, Inc. 

2002 “Nicodemus, Kansas, National 

Historic Landmark Historic 

Structure Report.” Copy on file 

at NPS Midwest Regional Office. 

Bahr Vermeer Haecker Architects, Ltd. 

and OCULUS 

2003 “Cultural Landscape Report.” 

Copy on file at NPS Midwest 

Regional Office. 

Chu, Daniel and Bill Shaw 

ca 1994 Going Home to Nicodemus: The 

Story of an African American 

Frontier Town and the Pioneers 

Who Settled It. Parsippany, New 

Jersey: J. Messner. 

Freeman, Allen 

1991 “Kansas Homecoming”, Historic 

Preservation, November/ 

December. 

National Park Service, U.S. Department of 

the Interior 

1974 “National Register of Historic 

Places Inventory — Nomination 

Form, Nicodemus, Kansas”. 

1986 “Promised Land on the Solomon: 

Black Settlement at Nicodemus, 

Kansas. “Denver, Colorado: 

Rocky Mountain Region. 

1993 “Nicodemus, Kansas, Special 

Resource Study.” Washington, 

D.C. 

1996 Memorandum from William J. 

Hunt Jr., Archeologist at NPS 

Midwest Archeological Center to 

Manager, Midwest Archeological 

Center on “Archeological 

investigations at Nicodemus 

National Historic Site:” dated 

December 5. On file at NPS 

Midwest Archeological Center, 

Lincoln, NE. 

2000 Memorandum from William J. 

Hunt Jr., Archeologist at NPS 

Midwest Archeological Center to 

Manager, Midwest Archeological 

Center on “Test excavations at 

the AME Church, Nicodemus 

National Historic Site (NICO)” 

dated June 19. On file at NPS 

Midwest Archeological Center, 

Lincoln, NE. 

2001 Management Policies 2001.

Washington, D.C. 

Northwest Kansas Planning and 

Development Commission 

1976 “Nicodemus Historic 

Preservation and Development 

Study,” Hill City. 

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PREPARERS AND CONSULTANTS 

National Park Service 

Midwest Regional Office: 

Sändra Washington, Team Captain 

Sherda Williams, Historical Landscape 

Architect 

Craig Kenkel, Chief, Cultural 

Resources 

Tom Richter, Chief, Interpretation and 

Education 

Jill York O'Bright, Historian 

Fort Larned National Historic Site: 

Steve Linderer, Superintendent 

Felix Revello, Chief Ranger 

Denver Service Center: 

Marilyn Hof, Senior Planner 

Elaine Rideout, Natural Resource 

Specialist 

Christy Fischer, Editor 

Others 

Dennis Carruth, Superintendent, Aztec 

Ruins National Monument 

Bill Gwaltney, Assistant Regional 

Director, Intermountain Regional 

Office 

Keith Payne, Landscape 

Architect/Planner, Rocky 

Mountain National Park 

Moriba McDonald, Historian, 

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 

National Historical Park: 

Earlice Switzer-Rupp, Nicodemus 

Historical Society 

Angela Bates-Tompkins, Nicodemus 

Historical Society 

Project Consultants 

Mrs. Ernestine Van Duvall, Nicodemus 

Township 

Carolyn Wallingford, Curator, Midwest 

Regional Office, National Park 

Service 

Fred Suarez, Chief Land Resources, 

Midwest Regional Office, National 

Park Service 

Steve Cinnamon, Chief, Natural 

Resources, Midwest Regional Office, 

National Park Service 

Mike Evans, Senior Ethnographer, 

Midwest Regional Office, National 

Park Service 

Doug Scott, Archeologist, Midwest 

Archeological Center, National Park 

Service 

Bill Hunt, Archeologist, Midwest 

Archeological Center, National Park 

Service 

Bess Sherman, Special Assistant to 

Director, National Park Service 

Al Hutchings, Associate Regional 

Director, Professional Services and 

Legislation, National Park Service 

95
8 6 ' ( 3$ 5 70 ( 1 7 2 ) 7+ ( ,1 7( 5 ,2 5

0 $ 5 &+

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has 

responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This 

includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, 

wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our 

national parks and historical places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through 

outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and 

works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by 

encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has 

a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who 

live in island territories under U.S. administration. 

NPS D-5 June 2003 Printed on recycled paper. 

96