Thanks to the all-Black Phyllis Wheatley branch of the YWCA and the vision of the Lincoln Hills Development Corporation, the YWCA established Camp Nizhoni at Lincoln Hills. The name comes from the Navajo word for “beautiful.” Segregation kept African American women and girls from attending the nearby YWCA girls’ camp at Lookout Mountain. So every summer, up to fifty girls went to Camp Nizhoni to hike, swim and learn outdoor skills. After 18 years in operation, Camp Nizhoni closed in 1945 with the integration of Camp Lookout.


Six African American campers of various ages in the "Andy" family (Andy is counselor Marie Anderson, later Marie L. Greenwood) pose near a wire fence on the grounds of Camp Nizhoni in Lincoln Hills (Gilpin County), Colorado.

African American campers, dressed in dresses and hats, stand at the train stop near Camp Nizhoni..

Pictured is Mother Gross, an African American woman and cook for Camp Nizhoni.

Marie Anderson (later Marie L. Greenwood), a camp counselor, poses with other counselors on the grounds of Camp Nizhoni.

Nine African American women pose at the home of Mother Gross, Camp Nizhoni's cook, somewhere in Colorado. Pictured are: Marie Anderson (later Marie L. Greenwood), "Woody" (Mary E. Wood) on crutches, Mother Gross, "Snippy" (Mildred Parsons), Jessie Sharp, "Pat," Mrs. EuDailey (Exec. Sec.), Mrs. G. Lightener (Com. of Manage. Chrmn.) and Mrs. Bradley (Camp Com. Chrmn.).

A group of African American campers from camp Nizhoni board a D.& R.G.W. Railroad passenger car as they leave Camp Nizhoni in Lincoln Hills.

Portrait of Marie L. Anderson (later Marie L. Greenwood), an African American teenager, the young woman poses wearing overalls, tie, shirt and a cap.

The Reserve Secretary  for the YWCA in Denver poses with probably Patsy Crosswhite at Camp Nizhoni.

Two African American campers, identified as Yvonne Mason and Zipporah Parks, pose among trees on the grounds of Camp Nizhoni.

A group of campers from Camp Nizhoni, Lincoln Hills (Gilpin County), Colorado, and their Camp Director "Woody," Mary E. Wood, stand near Denver & Rio Grande Railroad tracks.

Standards for Lincoln Hills - Camp Nizhoni Album