The year was 1859 when prospectors panned and dug their way through Four Mile Creek in search of gold. What they found was the modern-day site of Gold Hill. Upon the forming of Mountain District #1 Nebraska Territory, the town began to grow.
The first settlement of log structures was built by miners in 1872, followed by service buildings, stores, boarding houses, and the Gold Hill School. Wanting to attract tourists to Gold Hill, the three-story Wentworth Hotel was constructed.
Attract indeed it did. Clarence Darrow, known as one of America’s most famous and controversial defense attorneys, and Eugene Field, an American writer of children’s poetry and humorous essays, were two famous persons who visited the Wentworth.
The hotel became the private vacation spot for women nurses, teachers, etc., from the Chicago area, renamed the Blue Bird Lodge in 1920. Its popularity inspired the 1924 construction of a dining hall adjacent to the lodge.
With women gaining more rights in the 50s, they began owning cabins in Gold Hill, making the lodge nearly unnecessary. Fast forward to 1962, Barbara and Frank Finn purchased the hotel and dining hall, turning the dining hall into the Gold Hill Inn.
The Gold Hill Inn is open seasonally, from May through December. During the off-season, much of its music lineup is booked, and menu selections are fine-tuned, creating the unique experience found at the Inn.
On May 5, 2023, the Gold Hill Inn hosted its opening night, featuring a Bluegrass/Zydeco band, That Damn Sasquatch, and it didn’t take long for the dining room to fill with reservations.
Aside from fine dining and live music, visitors can enjoy a beer garden, which will be up and running, hopefully, by Mother’s Day or as soon as the weather warms up. The Gold Hill Inn is looking forward to welcoming back its loyal clientele and meeting new folks for the first time.
The Gold Hill Inn is located at 401 Main Street. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ GoldHillInn or give them a call at 303-443-6461.
