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In the decades immediately following the US Civil War, thousands of freed slaves were lured to the high plains states, often with exaggerated claims about the wonderful weather and the rich land being given away. One settlement of former slaves was Nicodemus. Quite unlike the Eden promised them, these settlers found it difficult to eke out a living here due to the harsh conditions. With a population of only 30 to 35 inhabitants, Nicodemus has managed to survive, and is now a National Historic Site, complete with a visitors center. An annual homecoming event draws hundreds of blacks back to their Kansas roots.