The Lincoln Hills: Breaking the Barriers of Racial Injustice and Jim Crowism in Colorado
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30 National History Day in Colorado The Lincoln Hills: Breaking the Barriers of Racial Injustice and Jim Crowism in Colorado Mohamed Ibrahim Wiggins High School 2020 State Qualifier Mohamed Ibrahim is a junior at Wiggins High School. In 2019, he spent one of the best summers of his life at the Colorado Student Leaders Institute program. There, he was introduced to National History Day and later learned of the Lincoln Hills resort after a visit to the History Colorado Center. _______________________________________________________________________ “An escape to the wilderness; a shelter from the storm” Jim Crow and the “Color Line” -Dani Newsum1 In the early decades of the 20th century, Colorado was predominantly governed by white supremist In 1922, during the climax of American racial political organizations and figures, resulting in a segregation and inequity, two black entrepreneurs, chronic period of unjust policy, racial oppression, Denverites E.C. Regnier and Roger Ewalt, met to and dangerous environments for the African utilize an economic opportunity west of the American community. During the 1923 election, Mississippi River in the Rocky Mountains of Benjamin Stapleton was elected Denver Mayor Colorado. After months of construction, the Lincoln due to his strong association with the Ku Klux Hills, a summer sanctuary for African Americans Klan. “The following year, the Klan reached the during the 20th century, was established in Gilpin zenith of its power and influence in the Centennial County, providing necessary refuge and economic state.”2 It gained control of the Republican party salvation for thousands of African Americans which resulted in an unprecedented number of seeking protection, welfare, and mountain KKK affiliated elections in November. Klansmen amenities in the western United States. For 44 occupied the years, Lincoln Hills assisted in laying the governor’s foundation for increased racial equality in office, Colorado, helping spark civil rights movements, represented and breaking the barrier of the American culture of the majority Jim Crowism. In addition to its influence on civil in both rights, the mountain resort served as a safe haven houses of the for all and a spiritual center of peace and hope for legislature Black Americans during a time of intense political ,and held division and pervasive white supremacy, a substantial Klansmen parade down Larimer testament to the prevalent, color-based hierarchy statewide Street in downtown Denver in of privilege. The sanctuary guided thousands of offices.3 1926. African American families towards a life of political Cross- success, financial increase, and educational burnings and public parades with hooded figures opportunities for many. What initially began as a were a frequent sight in the early 1920s. With the hallmark of American entrepreneurship, the added injustices of color segregation and Lincoln Hills evolved into a physical representation prohibited suffrage for black men, Colorado began of the American Dream—life, liberty, and the a lasting history of hate groups that prevented pursuit of happiness—for Black Americans. cultural acceptance and diversity; however, this Consequently, the Lincoln Hills changed the did not affect the impact African Americans had in perspective of the state and built a bridge between the construction of Colorado.4 the culture of contempt and racial equality by Denver was home to a large population of increasing the cultural diversity in Colorado “colored” homeowners. From 1900-1929, the communities. Denver Republican reported that the black August 2020 | Volume 3, Issue 1 Paper Journal 31 population had almost doubled, a majority of 5. A summer colony where lots are being whom were domestic servants and/or physical sold at such a very low price that laborers seeking greater opportunities in the buyers will make money on the lots West.5 Despite these opportunities Denver even if they never use them presented, black homeowners were not allowed to themselves. buy and live where they chose—Denver was a 6. A place where our race can show to segregated city. In what is now East Denver, a the Nation a constructive piece of work, “Negro District” was established where a majority in the upbuilding of a great National of the African American population resided.6 Dani gathering place for health, recreation, Newsum, a civil rights attorney and historian of education and uplift.10 African American history, states that, “Blacks who In its beginning years, Lincoln Hills became a attempted to buy homes outside the “Negro weekend escape for thousands of African District” were often met with threats and acts of Americans across the nation. violence.”7 At the time, there were only three other resorts catering to “Black Americans in the United Early Development States, Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, MA, The Lincoln Hills resort was situated along South Idlewood in MI, and American Beach on Amelia Border Creek between the small towns of Island in Fl,” all of which were east of the Rollinsvilles and Netherlands. E.C. Regnier and Mississippi River.11 The South lacked such resorts Roger Ewalt intended to market Lincoln Hills as a due to its totalitarian approach to racial vacation resort and summer sanctuary for middle- discrimination and the harsh realities it presented class African Americans living in Denver, other for African Americans. This national trend of black areas of Colorado, and beyond.8 During the safe havens carried on throughout the nation, 1920s, Colorado real estate was also experiencing offering a center of spiritual rejuvenation, peace, the damaging effects of discrimination. Ewalt and and most importantly, safety, which many other Regnier faced scrutiny from white landowners for areas of the nation could not provide at the time. their business proposition and experienced unjust Black mountain resorts gained immense popularity treatment when locating a suitable area for the throughout the 20th century, as the resources and Lincoln Hills. After two months of construction and advantages offered there could be found nowhere battling with the state, 470 lots were purchased, else in the United States. some for as low as $25. While a majority of plot Outside the mountain amenities of the owners were from Denver, some hailed from “New resort, the storm of racial discrimination magnified. York to California and points-in-between.”9 Pastor The KKK continued to control the Colorado G.L. Prince, a respected member of the African government through the 1920s and 1930s, which American community of Denver, addressed the further escalated hostility toward black Lincoln Hills Company in a letter providing his communities.12 A shelter from the storm provided endorsements and opinions of such a resort. momentary refuge to the “hurricane” of systematic Lincoln Hills, near Denver, where I have racism that raged beyond the beauty of the resort. purchased 4 lots and where I have visited on Although violence and political tension spilled different occasions, offers many unique across the state, the remarkable story of Lincoln advantages to our group: Hills continued. 1. A beautiful spot for camp, or cabin or fine summer home. A Vibrant Heart 2. A cool, invigorating summer climate Wink’s Lodge, also known as Wink’s Panorama, which is the finest known tonic for was at the core of the Lincoln Hills resort.13 The people who have had a hard year of six-room inn was built by Obrey “Winks” Hamlet work. and his first wife, Naomi. Hamlet spent his 3. A large tract of land containing 2 miles summer months in 1925 constructing the beautiful of trout stream, beside 4 creeks and three-story lodge with an interior wrap around fine lake stocked with trout. porch that overlooked the South Border Creek and 4. A railroad and 4 auto roads from Denver to the resort. August 2020 | Volume 3, Issue 1 32 National History Day in Colorado recreational and service organizations, like the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA).”20 In 1925, Camp Nizhoni was established by the Denver Phyllis Wheatley Branch on the Lincoln Hills resort, and it became a place African American girls could call their very own.21 Nizhoni, a Navajo word for beautiful, catered to girls of all ages, ranging from 8-17 years old. The camp offered a diverse amount of activities to the attending girls. As Frances Mozetta recalls in Memories of Camp Nizhoni, “We identified and Wink’s Lodge, also known as Wink’s Panorama. collected wildflowers; went on scavenger hunts; learned to make bedrolls and blankets; and even Rocky Mountains. Completed in 1928, the lodge to cook breakfast over an outdoor fire.” Nizhoni became one of few full service resorts to cater to became a shield from the sting of segregation and African Americans.14 Winks was an accomplished racism for many campers who primarily hailed businessman in the Five-Points neighborhood of from Denver, but others were from rural regions of Denver. Along with the six rooms he rented in the Colorado, and even out of state. 22 panorama, Winks built 25 cabins on the Lincoln When the sun began to fall behind the Hills resort available to friends, families, and Rocky Mountain wall, the campers of Nizhoni customers. Hamlet added on a tavern, honeymoon would gather around the campfire and sing.23 One cabin, a tin house, and a three plex cabin.15 The of those many songs was “Nightfall on Nizhoni”: lodge became the vibrant heart of the Lincoln Hills Night on Camp Nizhoni’s Falling in its early years of success. Night on Camp Nizhoni’s Falling Wink’s Panorama hosted famous Black Nature’s Lulling All to Rest Americans during the 1930s.16 Newsum recounts And We Pray that God Will Help Us Be that “Some of the brightest lights of the Harlem That Which We Count on Best24 Renaissance—musicians, poets, novelists, For nearly 20 years, Camp Nizhoni essayists—visited the mountain retreat.