Peak to Peak News: Gilpin's forgotten Black History

In the 20th century, segregation in Colorado prevented many Black artists and families from staying at hotels, eating in restaurants and finding respite. A little known plot of land in Gilpin County called Lincoln Hills was the only place many African Americans could go for this.

At the time, Lincoln Hills was the only leisure destination west of the Mississippi owned by and made for Black Americans. Artists like Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston spent time communing and creating here to get away from segregation and find peace in the Colorado Mountains.

For Black History month, Mountain-Ear reporter Mindy Leary is writing a series of profiles covering the time these artists spent at the Gilpin County refuge. Today, she joins us on the podcast to tell us about Gilpin's forgotten Black History.

Also

• Asbestos testing to finally begin at the Caribou Village Shopping Center fire wreckage
• Ned BOT pursues $1 million in funding for local improvements
• Very Nice Brewing Gilpin hosts annual crawfish boil

Read the first story in Mindy's Lincoln Hills series about Langston Hughes here.

Her Feb. 19 piece will feature jazz artist Duke Ellington, followed by a feature on actress and activist Lena Horne on Feb. 26.