Lincoln Hills, Colorado
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Lincoln Hills in Gilpin County, Colorado, the United States, was a vacation resort for African-Americans.[1] Lincoln Hills was created in 1922 by E.C. Regnier and Roger Ewalt, and was the only resort for African Americans west of the Mississippi River.[2][3] Lincoln Hills served as a reprieve from segregation for middle class African-Americans in the 20th century.[4][5]
By the 1920s, Denver, Colorado, had a thriving African American population living largely in the Five Points neighborhood. However, due to rising racial tensions in America and the presence of the Ku Klux Klan in Denver, many African Americans faced hostility living in Denver.[6][7] Denver businessmen E.C. Regnier and Roger Ewalt co-founded Lincoln Hills Development Company (LHDC) in 1922.[8] Regnier and Ewalt, both African American men, purchased over 100 acres 38 miles West of Denver.[1] Regnier and Ewalt believed African Americans should be able to enjoy the mountain landscape and have a resort to escape the racial tensions of Denver.[1] The men sold small land plots to African Americans which were usually 25 ft by 100 ft and had a price ranging from $5-$100.[4] Many plots were used as campsites, however some families built rustic cabins. Regnier and Ewalt sold over 600 plots of land to middle class African American families who were located all across Colorado.[1][4]