From an Arsenal to Where the Bison Roam

From 1942 to 1982, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was a 17,000-acre United States Army facility for manufacturing weapons and chemicals such as mustard gas and nerve agents. Shell Oil Co. leased portions of the property to manufacture pesticides from 1952 to 1982.

Contaminated groundwater was found in the 1950s, and efforts were undertaken to prevent chemical contamination from spreading. Investigations into the practices at the facilities unearthed enough contamination to place the Arsenal on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 1987. In the 1980s, bald eagles were discovered, leading the property to be designated as a wildlife refuge in 1992.

In 1996, efforts began to clean up the Arsenal with a phased plan that was completed in 2010. Today, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge comprises 15,988 acres. Some of the previous acreage is designated as a water treatment plant and a United States Postal Service facility. In 2004, the City of Commerce City, Colorado, purchased acreage to capitalize and develop community resources such as Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, their Civic Center and fire district headquarters, a high school, and other amenities. Get an overview of how the Arsenal became a refuge and enjoy viewing wildlife in the metropolitan area’s urban oasis.