Lincoln Hills, Colorado, established in 1922, was the only Black-owned mountain resort west of the Mississippi River during the Jim Crow era. Founded by entrepreneurs E.C. Regnier, Robert Ewalt, and Edmund J. McMahon, this site provided a refuge for Black Americans barred from other vacation destinations due to segregation. Over 600 lots were sold to middle-class Black families, creating a vibrant summer community. In 1928, Obrey “Winks” Hamlet opened Winks Lodge. This full service hotel hosted prominent guests like Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, and Langston Hughes. Camp Nizhoni, a YMCA camp for Black girls, offered outdoor education and recreation starting in 1927. Lincoln Hills thrived through the Depression and into the 1960s, offering cultural enrichment and outdoor access. Though its popularity declined after desegregation, the area remains significant. Winks Lodge is now a National Historic Landmark, preserving its unique place in American history.
The Joy Trip Project celebrates American History.
The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold stories of Black Americans who are too often left out of the stories share about our common national heritage.
#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute
Share this post