Scott Carpenter Park has a hidden past

The "hill" in Scott Carpenter Park, Boulder, ColoradoPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

I have worked across the street from Scott Carpenter Park for over twelve years. Like many, I often have lunch and take breaks on the large hill within the park. Over the years I have often wondered, “why is this hill here?”

You see I was once a Geophysicist. So, I often look at land features and wonder how they were formed. This park hill always looked manmade to me. It did not belong next to Boulder Creek or the area. So, I thought, maybe this is cut dirt from when they built the businesses across the street or maybe the East Campus of CU (University of Colorado Boulder). If it was anywhere else, my first thought would be a small landfill. But a landfill in the heart of Boulder, Colorado? Right next to Boulder Creek?

The "hill" in Scott Carpenter Park with the Flatirons in the backgroundPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

It turns out that there is a hidden history under all that grass. The hill that my very children have sled down is in fact the remnant of a long-forgotten landfill.

Sledding down the "hill" in Scott Carpenter Park, Boulder, ColoradoPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

Before the 1930’s, the land that the park sit on was outside and on the edge of Boulder. At the time, the land was most likely cheap due to Boulder Creek’s flood potential.

Back in the late 1800’s, there was a movement to clean up towns to prevent disease. Something that plagued small towns of the day. The movement focused on filth, air, water, and lack of sunshine that one gets daily. The movement was known as “sanitary reform.”

The "hill" in Scott Carpenter Park, Boulder, Colorado.Photo byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

During this period, the City of Boulder decided to move its landfill. This old landfill once sat where the downtown Boulder Justice Center sits today. That new location was Arapahoe and 30th Street. Around the turn of the 20th Century, the City of Boulder portioned off some of the open space and named the area “Valverdan Park.” Valverdan was part open space and part landfill. Later a sewage treatment facility was added. The landfill closed somewhere around 1935. The City of Boulder converted this city dump and sewage treatment plant into Valverdan Park in 1955.

Scott Carpenter Park with playground and the "hill" to the rightPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

As mentioned, I was once a Geophysicist. In fact, I was an Environmental Geophysicist. One of my duties was to help close military bases. I used geophysics to map out dozens of landfills. One of the biggest issues that we often were plagued with when closing a landfill was leakage of toxins and methane gas buildup as materials breakdown. Back in the day when Valverdan Park was converted into a park, the only requirement was to sod over the landfill. A far cry from the landfill conversions procedures we follow today.

Scott Carpenter Park playground with space themePhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

By 1962, Valverdan Park was renamed to Scott Carpenter Park. After Astronaut Scott Carpenter who was once a Boulder resident. At this time, the sodded hill, open space, and the ball field were the only features. The pool area was soon added.

The original plan was to use the large dump pile (the "hill") to build a “Moon Mountain.” But was “dumped” due to lack of funds. Instead, the rocket ship jungle gym was built.

Today, that “trash” heap is used as a sledding hill in the winter and a relaxing spot for all to throw their picnic blankets on top of.

Sledding at Scott Carpenter ParkPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

References

SCOTT CARPENTER PARK - CYE Visual Database (uc.edu)

https://www.academia.edu/23585408/Sodded_Over_the_Underground_History_of_Scott_Carpenter_Park