Lincoln Post
Carpenter, former President of the Methow Valley Citizens Council, co-founder of Cinnamon Twisp Bakery
Twisp, WA
8/27/2021
Lincoln Post is a born storyteller and a stalwart protector of his home: north-central Washington’s Methow Valley. He believes in commitment to place. To Lincoln, “being a local means being a contributor.”
In the 1990s, a Colorado-based corporation proposed development of a ski resort complete with condo units, a couple of golf courses, and a “boutique town.” Some Methow residents were weary of the site’s impact on their small farming and ranching community, a population of around 2,000. Lincoln attended a meeting to review the corporation’s environmental impact statement. He left as the president of the Methow Valley Citizens Council, the only person willing to sign an appeal. Lincoln entered the political scene as the valley emerged into two distinct groups: those in favor and those opposed to the resort project. To many, the remote location was a tourism gold mine waiting to happen; to others it was home, and already felt too much like a vacation destination. Lincoln and other residents fought against the proposed resort. As he puts it “there’s a strong community here even if it was small.” The development operation was slowed by the resistance put forth by MVCC and was eventually halted by water rights: the corporation couldn’t purchase enough water to realize their plans.
Lincoln’s efforts speak to the power of small, determined groups of citizens to influence the future of their home, even when faced with economic pressure to alter their way of life.
By Neave Fleming