LAKE IVANHOE — The community of Lake Ivanhoe was established in 1926 so Black travelers could have a relaxing destination free from discrimination. It is now a small and proud neighborhood ready to welcome newcomers of all backgrounds.
The Lake Ivanhoe Property Owners Association invited both natives and visitors to their centennial celebration. The pavilion filled up on Saturday with people eager to reconnect with Lake Ivanhoe and those learning about it for the first time.
"This was just a beautiful place to be as a young kid," said Lake Ivanhoe native Tony Madison, who returned to his hometown for the centennial. "My grandparents had a resort here, a bar, and a restaurant. They rented out cabins for the people who came from out of town."
Lake Ivanhoe is six miles east of Lake Geneva and attracted entertainment such as jazz legends Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington in its heyday. It is now a quiet residential community with no businesses, but the centennial provided a chance for longtime residents to pass on the history.
"This is how you build community across generations," said event organizer Gwen Jones, who spent her childhood in Lake Ivanhoe and still owns property in the community.
Jones believes the centennial celebration is the best opportunity for Wisconsinites of all races to see Lake Ivanhoe as a place to relocate and put down roots.
"Lake Ivanhoe was selectively invisible for years," Jones said. "To a lot of people around here, we did not exist."
Some people chose to move to Lake Ivanhoe even before the centennial celebration. Tom Howard relocated to Lake Ivanhoe from Kenosha earlier this year.
"I do feel the love," said Howard. "It just feels good, I always have a positive feeling around here."
If you choose to visit Lake Ivanhoe, there is a permanent historical marker about the town you can read located right next to the community's pavilion.
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