Help Lydia build an art sanctuary in Black Eden

I am working with and for the community of Idlewild in a collective and long-standing effort to restore Idlewild. Idlewild is a historically black resort town that was founded in 1912. It was known as Black Eden and it is just that. Some people say that it was abandoned after Civil Rights were won but that is not true. Black Eden was never abandoned; it just needed to be hidden to protect itself. I was able to purchase my first home here in 2020. The property has a residential house, a cabana and a motel in the backyard. It sits on 3/4 of an acre close to Paradise lake and across the street from an amazing bog. I’m seeking funding to complete the restoration of my roof.

At the onset of the pandemic I lost my home and job with an art community that I loved. Last winter in Idlewild I realized I was experiencing PTSD from the situation and I am grateful that I landed in such a sacred healing space. I want to build my capacity to create a healthy community for cultural workers and scientists, because these essential communities need support and a place to feel safe.

About a month after moving in I discovered a bad mold problem and had to gut the front half of the house. This set me back financially and time wise in a moment when I was tenderly dealing with the trauma of my last job and sudden move. I’ve been able to repair the major hole in the roof that caused the damage and I have decided to use spray foam insulation in the roof so I would like to have a new roof and make sure all the leaks are fixed before closing the ceiling.

Since becoming the caretaker of the Poindexter Residence and motel I have:

Repaired the roof

Gutted and rebuilt the living room

Built a bay window

Gutted and rebuilt the kitchen

Gutted the bathroom (currently rebuilding)

Cleaned the motel and yard and began building a community garden

Here is a video tour that I did with friends:

I’ve also been volunteering in the community. Last year I made a fundraising video for Lake County MerryMakers, helped them secure several thousand dollars from a local community fund, and judged Idlewild’s first gumbo cook off. I'm currently working on a promotional video for the Charles Chestnutt historical house in Idlewild. I've connected with Idlewild historian Ron Stephens and have been studying his work as well as connecting with the Lake County Historical Society. I revived the Idlewild Garden Club, last summer I organized volunteers to work on 4 elders' yards and 3 community garden beds. I was also able to curate an art show for George Thomas, a local artist, for the new restaurant Idlewild Eats in the Morton’s Motel. The show sold out, giving George much needed funds and a way to reconnect with his community. I also selected Jamie John, a local emerging artist as my inaugural artist in residence. I am excited to scale up my projects for Idlewild. A completed home will mean that I will have the space to invite other artists and scientists to come help and have a home base. Eventually I want to build my property into a cooperative artist-led residency space that will contribute to the legacy and restoration of Idlewild. Once the residency space is functional I plan to build endowments for artists to stay as well as local elders so that continuous fundraising is not necessary.

When I got here, I was surprised and relieved to find a powerful kind multi-generational community who welcomed me. DuBois wrote about arriving here through Jim Crow in 1921 and unfortunately and fortunately, his words resonated with me 100-years later.

My house is the historic Poindexter Motel and Residence. I’ve gotten to talk with Randall Poindexter whose family built my whole block. Randall’s uncle was a local builder who not only built The Poindexter but all the other houses on my block and many around town. I want to do this house justice and make it shine again. Randall informed me that Little Richard, The Supremes and many of the dancers stayed in this humble little motel. Eventually, it will become the place to hang again, it will be off-grid with community gardens and guided foraging opportunities. I’ve gotten a surprising amount done on my own in the last year, but I don’t have the skills or funds to do the roof myself the way I’d like.

photo of Randall and his mom, Catherine, in front of the motel, from the 1960 Idlewild yearbook

I want to care for this house so that I can invite artists and scientists who want to experience Idlewild for themselves. Creatives who need rest, a place to create, and community.

A lot is written about Idlewild in its ‘hay day’ but I’ve been taken by Idlewild’s early history when people just wanted a safe place to be together. In this early film from 1919, you can see even back then Idlewild had a town poet.

I want to do so many things here, but I need a literal roof over my head. I have a bid for a standing seam metal roof for the house and the motel, it is more money than shingles but will last a lifetime and is less toxic than asphalt shingles.

The second photo is the bay window I built last winter.

If you are interested in following along long term, I am also on Patreon

Patreon.com/lydiamariehicks

Please consider visiting Idlewild and sharing if you know of anyone interested in getting involved. I have also created an instagram page: @blackeden_idlewild

and a facebook page for the garden club: Lela Wilson's Idlewild Garden Club