GILPIN COUNTY -  On a beautiful early fall day with the aspen beginning their magical transformations and the California Zephyr chugging past at the perfect moment, the family of Nancelia E. Scott Jackson gathered with invited guests on September 13, 2025, to honor her and her physical and spiritual connection to Lincoln Hills.

In conjunction with the nonprofit Lincoln Hills Cares Foundation (LHCF), which manages the property, the family unveiled a plaque renaming the Nizhoni Hotel as the Nancelia E. Scott Jackson Nizhoni Hotel.

The renaming ceremony started with opening remarks by LHCF Executive Director Jeanette Patterson, who called Lincoln Hills “sacred space where black families found safety, joy, and belonging during times when few such places existed.”

She recalled Nancelia’s life and legacy and how attending the Nizhoni YWCA camp as a young girl left a lasting impression.

LHCF ESTEM Program Manager Madi Shaheen spoke about the purpose of the ceremony: to recognize Nancelia Jackson’s voice as a storyteller who understood that Lincoln Hills was a safe haven to many. Shaheen said the ceremony also acknowledged the Jackson family’s enduring contributions to Lincoln Hills.

An invocation was given by the associate pastor of the Second Baptist Church Boulder, Glenda Robinson.

Remarks and reflections by Jackson family members spoke about how Nancelia loved to write in her journal and how much Lincoln Hills meant to her. Her brothers Warren and Art Scott recited the family history and told stories of growing up with Nancelia.

Nancelia’s daughter, Kimberle Jackson Butler, talked about how her mother viewed Lincoln Hills as her heart and home surrounded by nature and the people she loved most.

Nancelia’s son, Gary Jackson, said that Lincoln Hills embodied the American Dream because it was a welcoming place in the 1920s for black families to find opportunity and own land.

After the family remarks and reflections, Butler and Jackson unveiled the plaque honoring their mother that will be mounted on the building.

The plaque reads: “Camp Nizhoni Hotel / Named in honor of Nancelia E. Scott Jackson / A cherished camper of Camp Nizhoni, Nancelia was a writer, storyteller, and a lover of Lincoln Hills. She believed that every memorable experience was ‘journal-worthy.’ Her words and spirit remind us to see the beauty in nature, find meaning in the moment, and preserve our stories for future generations.”

After closing remarks by LHCF Development Director James Abbot, there was a reception at the 1926 Jackson cabin called the Zephyr View. There were refreshments and conversations about Nancelia and her wonderful passion for Lincoln Hills as a place to belong and to be safe.

The website for Lincoln Hills Cares and the programs that they offer for youth outdoors activities is lincolnhillscares.org. There is a children’s webpage on Camp Nizhoni (Navajo word for beautiful) at blackpast.org/childrens-page/camp-nizhoni-1924-1945-2.