GILPIN COUNTY — Duke Ellington’s story is the second installment in a Black History Month series exploring figures connected to Lincoln Hills. Together, these stories show how a remote section of land along a river in northeastern Gilpin County became a retreat for Black Americans during the segregation era.

The land was bought by three white investors in 1925 as a mountain resort community, offering a rare place where families could own property, vacation, and gather freely.

Musicians and artists traveling through Denver’s Five Points jazz scene in the early to mid-20th century often needed a place to stay that welcomed them fully. For many Black performers, that place was Lincoln Hills.

“Segregation practices meant that after performing at jazz clubs in Denver's Five Points neighborhood, these highly esteemed artists often could not find suitable accommodations in the city, so they would travel the extra hour to stay at Lincoln Hills instead,” reads a page from the National Park Service website on Winks Lodge. 

The lodge, located up a winding dirt road lined with tall pines, is currently undergoing renovation. It fell into disrepair as attendance declined with the Civil Rights movement, which formally ended legal discrimination in 1964—only 62 years ago. 

Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library Special Collections Editor's Picks

Among the visitors who made their way into the haven was jazz composer/performer extraordinaire Duke Ellington, born Edward Kennedy Ellington.

Ellington was already reshaping American music when he came west. A composer, pianist, and bandleader, he transformed jazz into something orchestral and expansive. 

His orchestra became known for layered arrangements, individual voices, and a sound that blended swing, blues, and classical influence.

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1899, Ellington rose to national fame through performances at Harlem’s Cotton Club in the late 1920s.

The Private Collection CD album cover

Over the course of his career, he composed thousands of pieces and led his orchestra for more than five decades. His achievements included multiple Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and recognition as one of the most influential composers in American history.

When receiving the medal from President Nixon in 1969, Ellington said, “And, of course, we speak of freedom of expression, and we speak of freedom generally as being something very sweet and fat and things like that. In the end, when we get down to the payoff, what we actually say is that we would like very much to mention the four major freedoms that my friend and writing-and-arranging composer, Billy Strayhorn, lived by and enjoyed.

“That was freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity; freedom from fear of possibly doing something that may help someone else more than it would him; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel that he is better than his brother.”

Ellington’s connection to Lincoln Hills ties Gilpin County directly to the evolution of jazz. His music pushed boundaries. Pieces like “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Mood Indigo,” and “Sophisticated Lady” expanded what audiences expected from big band sound. 

He wrote extended suites, film scores, and sacred concerts later in his career, demonstrating a constant desire to experiment.

But life on the road was hard for Black musicians of the time, regardless of how successful they were. 

In the quiet setting of Lincoln Hills, Ellington's creative energy found its place.  The mountains offered distance from the pressures of touring and performing. It offered cabins, fresh air, and something harder to find at the time: freedom from a world that was very difficult. It was a place to let loose. 

Ellington and others would relax and simply exist outside the expectations placed on them elsewhere.

“Winks Lodge played host to some of the greatest African American musical talents of the twentieth century," says the National Park Service.  "Guests were often treated to private readings and improvised musical ‘jam sessions’ at the Lodge or at nearby Winks Panorama Tavern."

During a walking tour of Lincoln Hills in 2025, I could feel the magic still lingering in the air, a sense of peaceful expansiveness that is hard to explain. 

I considered what the trees had witnessed in the sacred space surrounding Winks Lodge. Take a listen to Ellington to get the swing of it. 

Suggested Duke Ellington listening list

1. Take the ‘A’ Train

2. Mood Indigo

3. It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

4. Sophisticated Lady

5. Caravan

6. Satin Doll

7. In a Sentimental Mood

8. Solitude

9. Perdido

10. Black and Tan Fantasy

You can reach Lincoln Hills via Coal Creek Canyon to South Beaver Creek Road, then turn onto Pactolus Lake Road. You may pass the area without realizing its history. 

Much of the property is privately owned and not open for general access, but limited guided tours of Winks Lodge and surrounding historic sites are periodically available through Lincoln Hills Cares, by advance registration.

To learn more, visit lincolnhillscares.org/history.