Lincoln Hills
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Lincoln Hills
Located along South Boulder Creek in Gilpin County, Lincoln Hills was established in the 1920s as the only black resort west of the Mississippi River.
Lincoln Hills Cabin
Lincoln Hills was divided into roughly 1,700 narrow lots, which were advertised to blacks across the country. By 1928, about 470 lots had been sold. The onset of the Great Depression ended many dreams and meant that only a few dozen private cabins were actually constructed.
Arriving at Lincoln Hills
One key to the success of Lincoln Hills was its easy accessibility. The Denver & Salt Lake Railway stopped twice near the resort, making it possible to arrive in less than an hour from Denver or stop for a few days during a cross-country trip.
Located along South Boulder Creek about ten miles due west of Eldorado Springs and an hour’s drive from downtown Denver, Lincoln Hills was established in the 1920s as one of a small handful of black resorts in the United States and the only one west of the Mississippi River. Easily accessible by car and train, the resort was a thriving vacation destination for four decades, until its main hotel and tavern, Winks Lodge, closed in 1965 and civil rights legislation opened new opportunities for black vacationers. Today descendants of original cabin owners continue to visit their properties at Lincoln Hills, and the area is also home to a private fly-fishing club and a nonprofit organization that provides outdoor experiences and education to veterans and youth.
Origins and Development
The Great Migration of the 1910s–20s is often seen as a movement of African Americans from the South to the North, but it also resulted in the growth of black communities in the West, including Colorado. By the 1920s, Denver had a strong and vibrant black community centered on the Five Points neighborhood, which had several thousand black residents. Most worked as porters, waiters, barbers, and domestic servants (the main jobs open to them at the time), but the community also contained a growing business and professional class. Yet as it became larger and more prosperous, Denver’s black community faced increasing hostility in the form of racially restrictive housing covenants and a resurgent Ku Klux Klan that claimed 50,000 members across Colorado, including prominent local and state officials.
This combination of prosperity and animosity stimulated the development of Lincoln Hills, the only resort in the Rocky Mountains that catered specifically to African Americans. The goal was to give blacks in Denver and across the country a place where they could escape the daily burden of racism and build an alternative to the racially segregated resorts that were prevalent at the time.
In 1922 Lincoln Hills was established by two Denver businessmen, E. C. Regnier and Roger E. Ewalt. Tradition maintains that the men were black, but records indicate that white men with those names lived in Colorado at the time. It is possible, perhaps even likely, that Regnier and Ewalt were black men whose skin was light enough to allow them to move back and forth across the color line when necessary. In any case, by 1925, they founded Lincoln Hills, Inc. and divided the area into roughly 1,700 narrow lots. Measuring 25 feet by 100 feet, the lots were advertised across the country to blacks interested in building summer cottages there. Lots were available for under $100 (with fairly easy financing: $5 down and $5 per month) and could be reserved by mail. By 1928, about 470 lots had been sold, half to people from Colorado and half to prospective vacationers or speculators from other parts of the country.
The Great Depression, which started in 1929 and deepened in the early 1930s, put a sudden end to many Lincoln Hills dreams. Some families could no longer keep up with the monthly payments, and those who could (or had already paid in full) did not have the extra money to build a summer cabin. As a result, only a few dozen private cabins were actually constructed.
Vacationing in the Rockies
Even if many buyers lost their lots or never built cabins, Lincoln Hills still managed to thrive for several decades. Some families used their lots as campsites; others came up for day trips. Crucial to the success of Lincoln Hills was its easy accessibility by train as well as automobile. The Denver & Salt Lake Railway (after 1931, part of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad) stopped twice near Lincoln Hills, making it possible to get there in less than an hour from Denver or stop for a few days in the middle of a cross-country trip.
Activities and accommodations were available to people who did not own property at Lincoln Hills. Each summer from 1927 to 1945, several dozen young black girls attended Camp Nizhoni, where they spent two weeks hiking, swimming, and learning outdoor skills and biology. Named after the Navajo word for “beautiful,” Camp Nizhoni was operated by the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the YWCA as an alternative to the all-white YWCA camp at Lookout Mountain. The camp featured a two-story dormitory and a dining hall on land that the Lincoln Hills development company sold for only $10 after the Wheatley YWCA had leased it and successfully managed the camp for three years.
Most important for the long-term popularity of Lincoln Hills was Winks Lodge, which opened in 1928. A three-story inn with six bedrooms in the main building and several outlying cabins, Winks Lodge was the brainchild of Denver businessman Obrey Wendell Hamlet, who went by the nickname “Winks.” The lodge and Winks Tavern, which opened later, were the center of activity at Lincoln Hills each summer and fall. Visitors could get a room, meals cooked by Hamlet’s wife, and outdoor recreation activities for $2–3 per day. Talented black musicians such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lena Horne often stayed at Winks Lodge before or after playing clubs in Denver, and Hamlet also organized readings when writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston visited on their way to the West Coast.
End of an Era
Hamlet ran Winks Lodge until his death in 1965, which marked a turning point in the history of Lincoln Hills. His death and the subsequent closure of Winks Lodge coincided with the fundamental transformation of American society that made all-black resort communities like Lincoln Hills no longer necessary. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, it became possible for blacks to travel freely to resorts like Estes Park. With Winks Lodge closed and other resorts now open to all, Lincoln Hills was visited primarily by property owners whose families built cabins on their lots in the 1920s.
Today
In 1980 Winks Lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places at the state level of significance. In 2006 it was acquired by the Beckwourth Mountain Club (also known as Beckwourth Outdoors), a nonprofit organization focused on providing outdoor recreation opportunities for black youth.
In 2008 Denver businessman Matthew Burkett bought property at Lincoln Hills and established the Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club, a private angling club that built a clubhouse on the site of a former ice house. Burkett and Robert F. Smith also founded a charitable organization called Lincoln Hills Cares, which aims to preserve and publicize the history of the area by offering a variety of outdoor programs for veterans, children, and teens, including the Nizhoni Summer Equestrian Program for girls.
In late 2014, the National Register of Historic Places listing for Winks Lodge was elevated to the national level of significance for its role in African American history and enlarged to include more of the original Lincoln Hills resort community.
10th Grade
Lincoln Hills was an African American vacation resort that opened in the mountains near Denver in the 1920s. At that time, African Americans were denied entry to other resorts based on their race. The resort was a thriving vacation destination for four decades, until Civil Rights legislation in the mid-1960s opened new opportunities for black vacationers. Winks Lodge, Lincoln Hills’ hotel and tavern, closed in 1965. The area is now home to a nonprofit group that provides outdoor experiences to veterans and youth, as well as a fly-fishing club.
Origins and Development
The 1910s and 1920s were a time of growth in African American communities in the West, including Colorado. By the 1920s, Denver had a strong and vibrant black community. It was centered in the Curtis Park and Five Points neighborhoods, which had several thousand black residents. Most worked as porters, waiters, barbers, and domestic servants, which were the kinds of jobs open to them. But the community also contained a growing business and professional class.
Prejudice against African Americans was prevalent. Denver’s African American community faced racially restrictive housing covenants. Many neighborhoods established rules that minorities could not live in certain areas. Job opportunities for African Americans were limited. The Ku Klux Klan claimed 50,000 members across Colorado, including prominent local and state officials.
This combination of prosperity and animosity stimulated the development of Lincoln Hills. It was the only resort in the Rocky Mountains that catered specifically to African Americans. The goal was to give blacks in Denver and across the country a place where they could escape the daily burden of racism. It was an alternative to the racially segregated resorts that were prevalent at the time.
In 1922 two Denver businessmen, E. C. Regnier and Roger E. Ewalt, established Lincoln Hills. Tradition maintains that the men were African American, but records show that they were white. It is likely that Regnier and Ewalt were black men whose skin was light enough to allow them to move back and forth across the color line when necessary.
In any case, by 1925, they founded Lincoln Hills, Inc. Lincoln Hills was located near Eldorado Springs, about an hour’s drive from Denver. It was easily accessible by car and train; the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad stopped near Lincoln Hills, making it possible to get there in less than an hour from Denver. Regnier and Ewalt divided the area into roughly 1,700 narrow lots, measuring 25 by 100 feet. The lots were advertised across the country to African Americans interested in building summer cottages. The lots were sold for $100 and could be reserved by mail. They offered fairly easy financing of $5 down and $5 per month. By 1928 about 470 lots had been sold. Half were sold to people from Colorado and half to people other parts of the country.
The Great Depression, which started in 1929, put an end to many Lincoln Hills dreams. Some families could no longer keep up with the monthly payments, and those who could did not have the extra money to build a summer cabin. As a result, only a few dozen private cabins were ever constructed. Many buyers lost their lots or never built cabins.
Vacationing in the Rockies
Despite the negative impacts of the Depression, Lincoln Hills Resort thrived for several decades. Some families used their lots as campsites, while others came up for day trips or rented cabins.
The most popular place at Lincoln Hills was Winks Lodge, which opened in 1928. The three-story inn had six bedrooms in the main building and several outlying cabins. Denver businessman Obrey Wendell Hamlet, who went by the nickname “Winks,” owned Winks Lodge. The lodge and tavern were the center of activity at Lincoln Hills each summer and fall. Visitors could get a room, meals and recreation activities for $2–3 per day. Famous African American musicians such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lena Horne stayed at Winks Lodge while playing clubs in Denver. Hamlet also organized readings from writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston when they visited Colorado.
Lincoln Hills also hosted a summer camp from 1927 to 1945. It was run by the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the YWCA as an alternative to the all-white YWCA camp at Lookout Mountain, and catered to African American girls. Named Camp Nizhoni, after the Navajo word for “beautiful,” it featured a two-story dormitory and a dining hall. Each summer, several dozen African American girls spent two weeks hiking, swimming, and learning outdoor skills.
End of an Era
Hamlet ran Winks Lodge until his death in 1965, which marked a turning point in the history of Lincoln Hills. His death and the subsequent closure of Winks Lodge coincided with the fundamental transformation of American society. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, making all-black resorts such as Lincoln Hills no longer necessary. With Winks Lodge closed and other resorts now open to all, Lincoln Hills was only visited by families who had built cabins there in the 1920s.
Today
In 1980 Winks Lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2006 it was acquired by the Beckwourth Mountain Club (also known as Beckwourth Outdoors), a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing outdoor recreation opportunities for African American youth.
In 2008 Denver businessman Matthew Burkett bought property at Lincoln Hills and established the private Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club. He built a clubhouse on the site of a former icehouse. Burkett and Robert F. Smith founded Lincoln Hills Cares, an organization that preserves and publicizes the history of the area. It offers a variety of outdoor programs for veterans, children, and teens, including the Nizhoni Summer Equestrian Program for girls.
In 2014 the National Register of Historic Places listing for Winks Lodge was elevated to the National Level of Significance for its role in African American history.
8th Grade
Lincoln Hills was an African American resort community in the mountains near Denver. It was established in the 1920s, when African Americans were banned from other resorts based on their race. Lincoln Hills resort gave them a place to vacation and relax away from discrimination. It was a thriving vacation destination for forty years. Winks Lodge, its main hotel and tavern, closed in 1965. Now, a nonprofit group that provides outdoor experiences and youth education operates on the site. It is also home to a fly-fishing club.
Origins and Development
In the 1910s and 1920s, many African American people moved to Colorado. By 1920 Denver had a strong and vibrant black community. Several thousand black residents lived in the Curtis Park and Five Points neighborhoods. Most worked as porters, waiters, barbers, and domestic servants, which were the only kinds of jobs open to them. But the community also had a growing business and professional class.
Discrimination against African Americans was prevalent. Many neighborhoods established rules that minorities could not live there. African Americans were denied entry to many businesses. Job opportunities were limited. The Ku Klux Klan had 50,000 members across Colorado.
Lincoln Hills was established in response to this racism. It was a resort just for African Americans. It gave African Americans in Denver and across the country an alternative to the racially segregated resorts of the time.
In 1922 E. C. Regnier and Roger E. Ewalt established Lincoln Hills. Tradition maintains that the men were African American, but records show that they were white. It is likely that Regnier and Ewalt were African American men, but their skin was light enough to allow them to move back and forth across the color line.
The Lincoln Hills resort was located near Eldorado Springs, about an hour’s drive from Denver. Regnier and Ewalt divided the area into narrow lots. The lots were advertised across the country to African Americans interested in building summer cottages. The lots sold for $100 and could be reserved by mail. By 1928 about 470 lots had been sold. Half were sold to people from Colorado and half to people from other parts of the country.
The Great Depression, which started in 1929, put an end to many Lincoln Hills dreams. Some families could no longer keep up with the monthly payments. Those who could did not have the extra money to build a summer cabin. Still, about forty private cabins were constructed.
Vacationing in the Rockies
Many African American families used their lots as campsites. Some rented cabins. Others came up for day trips. Lincoln Hills had easy accessibility by train as well as automobile. African Amercians could stop for a few days in the middle of a cross-country trip. Families enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping. They spent time with others who were on vacation.
The most popular place at Lincoln Hills was Winks Lodge, which opened in 1928. The three-story lodge had six bedrooms in the main building and several outlying cabins. Obrey Wendell Hamlet, who went by the nickname “Winks,” owned Winks Lodge. The lodge and tavern were the center of activity at Lincoln Hills. Visitors could get a room, meals, and recreation activities for $2–3 per day.
Famous African American musicians such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lena Horne stayed at Winks Lodge while playing at clubs in Denver. Hamlet also organized readings from writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston when they visited Colorado.
From 1927 to 1945, Lincoln Hills hosted a YMCA camp. The YMCA had a camp on Lookout Mountain, but they did not allow African American children to attend. Lincoln Hills gave land so African American girls had the opportunity to attend summer camp. The girls attended Camp Nizhoni, named after the Navajo word for “beautiful.” The girls spent two weeks hiking, swimming, and learning outdoor skills. The camp featured a two-story dormitory and a dining hall.
End of an Era
Hamlet ran Winks Lodge until his death in 1965. That year, Winks Lodge was closed. This marked a turning point in the history of Lincoln Hills.
American society was undergoing a transformation in the mid-1960s. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to discriminate against people based on race. It outlawed discrimination in public accommodations. Black resort communities like Lincoln Hills were no longer necessary. With other resorts now open to all, Lincoln Hills was only visited by the families that had built cabins on their lots.
Today
In 1980 Winks Lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2006 it was bought by the Beckwourth Mountain Club, a nonprofit organization focused on providing outdoor recreation opportunities for African American youth.
In 2008 Matthew Burkett bought property in Lincoln Hills. He established the private Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club. He built a clubhouse on the site of the old icehouse. Burkett and Robert F. Smith also founded a charitable organization called Lincoln Hills Cares. It preserves the history of the area and offers outdoor programs for veterans, children, and teens.
In late 2014, the National Register of Historic Places listing for Winks Lodge was elevated to the National Level of Significance for its role in African American history.
4th Grade
Lincoln Hills was a resort for African Americans in the mountains near Denver. It was started in the 1920s. It gave African Americans a place to get away from racism.
Origins and Development
In the 1910s and 1920s, many African American people moved to Colorado. By 1920 Denver had a strong and active black community. But African Americans could not live in some neighborhoods and were not allowed to go anywhere they wanted. It was difficult to get good jobs.
Lincoln Hills Resort gave African Americans a place where they could get away from racism. It was a resort just for African Americans. Because of their race, they were not welcome at other vacation spots in Colorado.
In 1922 E. C. Regnier and Roger E. Ewalt had the idea for an African American resort. They named it Lincoln Hills. They chose property that was an hour away from Denver. It was easy to get to by car and train. They advertised lots for $100. Buyers could build summer cabins on the lots. By 1928 about 470 lots had been sold.
The Depression started in 1929. It put an end to many Lincoln Hills dreams. Most owners did not have extra money to build a summer cabin. Still, about forty private cabins were built.
Vacationing in the Rockies
African Americans started to vacation at Lincoln Hills. Many families used their lots as campsites. Some rented cabins. Others came up for day trips. It was easy to get to Lincoln Hills. African Amercians traveling through Colorado could stop there. Families enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping. They spent time with others who were on vacation.
Obrey Wendell Hamlet, nicknamed “Winks,” opened Winks Lodge in 1928. The lodge and restaurant were the center of activity. It was a three-story lodge with rooms, meals, and activities. Visitors could stay there for $3 per day.
Winks Lodge gave a place for famous African American artists to perform and stay. Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and Lena Horne were guests at Winks Lodge. Writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston gave readings when they visited Colorado.
From 1927 to 1945, Lincoln Hills hosted a YMCA summer camp. The YMCA had another camp. But they did not allow African American children to attend. Lincoln Hills gave land so black girls could go to camp. The camp was named Camp Nizhoni, after the Navajo word for “beautiful.” African American girls spent summers hiking, swimming, and learning outdoor skills. The camp had a dormitory and a dining hall.
End of an Era
Hamlet ran Winks Lodge until he died in 1965. That year, Winks Lodge was closed.
American society was changing. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it against the law to discriminate against people based on race. African American resorts such as Lincoln Hills were no longer needed. Other resorts were open to everyone. Lincoln Hills was still used by the families who had built cabins on their lots.
Today
In 1980 Winks Lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2006 the Beckwourth Mountain Club bought it. They provide outdoor recreation opportunities for African American youth. In 2008 Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club opened. An organization called Lincoln Hills Cares was started. It preserves the history of the area. It offers outdoor programs for veterans, children, and teens.
