GILPIN COUNTY — Oasis, safety, community, dignity, rest, ownership, and joy—all words that can be used to describe Lincoln Hills. 

Lincoln Hills is Colorado history and United States history. It is part of the African-American story and every American story; the narratives are deeply intertwined. It speaks of segregation and belonging. 

Lincoln Hills Cares celebrated Lincoln Hills Days on October 3. This coincided with America 250/Colorado 150 celebrations this year. Approximately 45 guests came to Lincoln Hills in Gilpin County, travelling from the Denver area, Colorado Springs, and nearby to take a guided tour of the property and learn about the history and the amazing programs happening today. 

The purpose of Lincoln Hills Cares is “to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from and add to the rich historical and unique environmental treasure that is Lincoln Hills.” 

Before the area was known as Lincoln Hills it was known as the Pactolus Placer, an area on South Beaver Creek where placer mining had taken place along the streambeds. Hal and Elizabeth Sayer owned the property. 

In 1922, three white Denver entrepreneurs, Edwin C. Regnier, Robert E. Ewalt, and Edmund J. McMahon, purchased 640 acres of this land in Gilpin County with the idea and vision for a mountain retreat for Black families. It would become Lincoln Hills, where Black families could buy land, build cabins, and recreate outdoors. 

Black churches encouraged the development of Lincoln Hills. Longstanding Black churches in Denver like Shorter Community AME, New Hope Baptist, Central Baptist, and Zion Baptist played a role in supporting and communicating to the community about Lincoln Hills. 

People started to buy land, build cabins, and stay at Lincoln Hills. Two men who were instrumental in developing the resort into what it became were William Pitts and Obrey Wendell “Winks” Hamlet. 

Segregation was entrenched in all aspects of American society when Lincoln Hills became a mountain resort and summer home for African Americans. Its significance cannot be understated from a cultural, emotional, and historical perspective. And for those who visited the place and the space, it became deeply personal. 

Lincoln Hills was a place to escape from racial oppression. 

To begin Lincoln Hills Days, all the guests met in the Dr. Nathaniel Howard classroom that sits in the property. Dr. Jeanette Patterson, Executive Director of Lincoln Hills Cares, welcomed everyone and provided introductions. 

Hon. Judge Gary Jackson spoke to the guests as a member of the Governor's America 250/Colorado 150 Commission and as someone who has been coming to Lincoln Hills his entire life. William Pitts is his great-grandfather. 

Jackson spoke about making the trip from Denver to Lincoln Hills when he was little. All Black families like his knew they could not stop in Rollinsville or Wondervu because of the Ku Klux Klan networks and intimidation tactics. Pinecliffe was the only safe place to make a stop. 

Information regarding safe places to stop was available in the “Green Book.” This was a guidebook for non-whites that was published from the 1930s into the 1960s to inform travelers where it was safe to lodge, get gas, use the restroom, eat, etc. 

Jackson spoke about his mother’s time at Camp Nizhoni. Camp Nizhoni was a YWCA camp for African American girls that brought campers to Lincoln Hills from 1927 to 1946. 

Madi Shaheen, Lincoln Hills Cares ESTEM Program Manager, provided the day's logistics and directed half the group to proceed to the Cultural History Tour toward Winks Lodge. The other half stayed to listen to the Nizhoni Presentation and learn about outdoor education programs at Lincoln Hills. 

Ruby Myles delivered the Nizhoni Presentation. Myles is the Nizhoni Equestrian Program Manager for Lincoln Hills Cares. 

Nizhoni means “beautiful” in the Diné (Navajo) language. Going to the camp in the past was beautiful. Now, using those same concepts of empowerment, personal growth, and leadership skills for youth and teen girls makes the equestrian program beautiful.

Myles stressed that they are carrying forward the values set from Camp Nizhoni so many years ago. 

Lincoln Hills Cares has many outdoor education programs for youth and families. This is not sitting and listening about nature, it is about being in nature.  It is experiencing the outdoors and the wide variety of mountain life and its bugs, butterflies, fish, water, pinecones, animals, rocks, and more.

While on the Cultural History Tour, guests saw the original two buildings that were part of Camp Nizhoni that have been renovated. One has been named the Nancelia E. Scott Jackson Nizhoni Hotel.

Nancelia Scott Jackson was a camper at Nizhoni. She journaled about her experiences, which gives us a first hand account of a young girl's time at Camp Nizhoni. Later, she brought her young family to Lincoln Hills, including her son, now Judge Jackson. She passed away in 2024 at the age of 99. 

Lincoln Hills Cares plans to renovate the building that is known as Winks Tavern to make it into a welcome center for visitors. It was a happening place as a tavern and dance hall. They served some food, had a jukebox, and drew a mixed race crowd. 

Walking a little bit further up the hill there is the original Winks Tavern, which is a cabin now. Winks' original tavern served ice cream and 3.2 beer during Prohibition. There might have been some moonshine, too. White and Black folks patronized this establishment. Rollinsville and Pinecliffe were dry towns. 

The original Winks Tavern at Lincoln Hills, now a cabin.

Photo by Sara Sandstrom

No tour of Lincoln Hills is complete without seeing Winks Lodge or Winks Panorama. This is a true lodge with six rooms for guests, a dining area, kitchen, wrap-around porch, a great room, and a two-seated privy outside. They also had the only public shower in Gilpin County for many years. It would only cost you a nickel to take a shower.

Winks was a Renaissance Man who brought his talents and experience to help create a destination for African Americans who needed a place to breathe freely. With his dedication and that of all those who contributed, it provided a space that hardly existed anywhere else in the United States.

Lincoln Hills allowed Black families, teen girls at the YMCA camp, and celebrities like Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong to rest, truly rest, in a way that only marginalized people know.

Lincoln Hills ceased operation in 1965. 

Guests on the tour were actively involved and eager to learn more. One person said that she had so many thoughts and feelings that “This almost feels spiritual.”

Lincoln Hills Days was celebrated on October 3, 2026. This group had just finished the Cultural History Tour.

Photo by Sara Sandstrom

The youngest person at Lincoln Hills Days was a third grader from Denver. He asked his grandmother if they could come up to the mountains for the event. He said, “This is cool!” He wants to come back to go fishing. 

The footsteps of those who have walked among the trees, rocks, and waters of Lincoln Hills will always be here. Their courage is inspirational. 

Lincoln Hills is now in another of its chapters. Never forgetting the past, and on the shoulders of those who created it, Lincoln Hills Cares moves forward, continuing the legacy of resilience and joy.