Established in the 1920s, Fox Lake Resort offered Black middle-class families from Indiana and nearby states a refuge from Jim Crow discrimination. By 1940, the Fox Lake Property Owners Association formed to meet the growing community's social and infrastructure needs. The owners transformed the resort into a desirable vacation destination for residents and visitors. The Negro Motorist Green-Book featured Fox Lake sites from the 1940s-1960s as safe and welcoming locations for Black travelers. Black social organizations, churches, and alumni groups met at the resort and joined property owners for dances, outings, and outdoor sports. The community continued to expand, remaining a destination for many Black families.