Born into slavery in 1822, Barney L. Ford was the product of an enslaved mother and plantation-owner father. His life began in rural Northern Virginia, but his greatest impact awaited further west.
Although the waymaker’s legacy is less well-known than other prominent figures, Ford’s influence on Colorado’s history was felt well beyond the state. Ford artfully petitioned for his freedom through a legal loophole and eventually built what many would call an empire. The businessman’s path was not without its challenges, with Ford having to start over time and time again. Yet with each setback, Ford’s story mirrored that of a phoenix — rising from the ashes, more glorious than before.
Discover how Ford became one of the most successful hospitality pioneers of his day, including as an Underground Railroad supporter and civil rights leader.
Barney Ford The Businessman
Little is known about Ford’s formative years, as he often spoke of his childhood inconsequentially. The earliest findings reveal that his father sold him at 11 to run a livestock trail between Kentucky and West Virginia until he reached 19. There is also evidence that Ford labored on tobacco and cotton plantations before his work on the trail.
Ford was a voracious learner — studying maps and stars and adapting to any environment he found himself in. This proved true when he landed on a steamboat, where he got his first taste of hospitality life. In this setting, he learned to cut hair, cook, and manage the boat’s lodging spaces. Through this work, Ford eventually landed in Nicaragua and set up a barbershop. Recognizing the demand for male grooming, he capitalized on explorers’ desire to freshen up before returning to the States. On the heels of massive success with the barbershop, Ford opened a lunch counter, followed by his first hotel, The United States Hotel.
After U.S. troops bombed the coast where his hotel stood, Ford, undeterred, opened his second property — the California Hotel. However, the US’s involvement in the area led to the reinstatement of slavery in Nicaragua to develop the land. Ford returned to Chicago, where his wife, Julia Lyon, awaited him. There, he opened a livery stable that became a conduit to liberation for many. Julia’s family was integral to the Underground Railroad’s passageway, and Ford contributed to the family mission through what they called “raids.” During raids, Ford would ride down to cities with high populations of enslaved people, gathering as many as possible, to transport them to Canada, where they could live freely.
From Walking To Wealthy Hotelier
Ford’s greatest impact came from his time in Colorado, where he arrived on foot. As a Black chef on a wagon train, Ford was not allowed to ride the train due to racism and prejudice laws. Instead, the serial entrepreneur had to walk the journey from Chicago to Denver. But once he arrived, he discovered that opportunities lay out west.
Ford participated in the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, initially staking a claim in Breckenridge, but was run off by locals back to Denver. As was the spirit of the times, Black people were not allowed to make a claim on land. The ever-savvy Ford tried working with a white lawyer but was taken advantage of, with no grounds to pursue reconciliation.
Back in Denver, Ford returned to what had always worked — opening a barbershop and restaurant. A year later, a massive fire spread through the business district, destroying the building he had purchased. Ford rebounded with a larger building that housed the People’s Restaurant, a barbershop, and a bar. By 1865, after repeatedly bouncing back, Ford had become the 14th wealthiest person in Denver, earning the title “Black Baron of Colorado.” In addition to barbershops and restaurants, he also invested in mining.
Now one of Colorado’s elite, Ford revisited his hospitality dreams in the 1870s. The Inter-Ocean Hotel in Denver was perhaps his most impressive hotel endeavor. As the nicest stay in Denver, dignitaries and other notable figures clamored to stay at the hotel.
Ford and his wife spent some time in San Francisco before making another attempt in Breckenridge. The silver boom leading into the 1880s helped him rebuild his fortune, and in 1882, he constructed the five-bedroom house that now stands as the Barney Ford Museum.
Plan A Visit To The Barney Ford Museum
Learning about Ford’s magnificent life and entrepreneurial feats doesn’t get much better than visiting his former home. Local patrons have preserved his 1882 Victorian mansion in Breckenridge, Colorado, where free tours are offered five days a week.
Ford’s home, an impressive display of wealth for anyone during his time, served as a blueprint for mansions in Breckenridge. The businessman left the home well before his passing, packing up his life and relocating to Denver. However, the staged residence features period furnishings, though none originally belonged to Ford.
Tours are held hourly from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free, though a $5 donation is encouraged. When visiting Breckenridge or Keystone, it’s well worth adding the Barney Ford Museum to your itinerary. Explore the remarkable achievements of a man whose impact on politics, commerce, and civil rights still resonates today.
Ford’s Life And Legacy
While Ford accomplished much in the hospitality industry, he was also an active force in Colorado’s political scene. He co-founded a school alongside journalist and friend Henry O. Wagoner. Ford also lobbied for voting rights for all males in Washington, D.C., and was the first African American elected to the Colorado Territory legislature.
In business, Ford’s resilience and perseverance serve as a case study in unwavering determination. He saw more businesses burn down or be destroyed than some people ever opened — including barbershops, hotels, laundromats, boarding houses, and restaurants.
Though he died in 1902, Colorado continues to honor Barney Ford’s legacy. A commemorative stained-glass window in the State Capitol pays tribute to him more than a century later. He was posthumously inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame in 2018.
