Olde Town Arvada in Jefferson County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Arvada's First Park
Historic Olde Town Arvada Walking tour
Photographed by Carolyn J Deardorff, November 21, 2025
1. Arvada's First Park Marker
“…no intoxicating liquors be manufactured, sold or otherwise disposed of as a beverage on the premises.” This was Clemency Mellvoy’s condition for donating this three acre property to the Town of Arvada for a park in 1920. Two years later she donated $1,000 to encourage its development and this became Arvada’s first community park.
Arvada’s Oldest House
Arvada’s oldest house was moved to the new park in 1922. The log cabin had been built in 1859 by Arvada pioneers and served as the first dwelling for Benjamin Wadsworth’s family until they could build a proper house. Here Postmaster Wadsworth had shelves labeled A-Z and Arvadans picked up their letters after the train dropped off the mails sacks. Sadly, the cabin was later demolished.
Donated for the Public Good
Arvada’s early town builders realized that by donating land and money for schools and parks, they were building Arvada’s prosperity. That spirit of giving continued with the generous contribution from Arvadans and the state lottery funds for the 1994 park renovations. The pavilion, playground equipment and flower beds were built with those funds.
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Location. 39° 48.071′ N, 105° 4.686′ W. Marker is in Arvada, Colorado, in Jefferson County. It is in Olde Town Arvada. It is at the intersection of Upham Street and Grant Place, on the right when traveling north on Upham Street. The marker is located in McIlvoy Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arvada CO 80002, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Colorado’s Front Range. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: McIlvoy House (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Arvada's Trolleys (about 600 feet away); Roads and Trains (about 700 feet away); Doctor’s Office 7401 Grandview (about 700 feet away); Olde Town - New Town
2. Lost Fountain
A terra cotta water fountain memorializing Jefferson County’s World War I dead was installed in 1920 and demolished in 1981.
Photographed by Carolyn J Deardorff, November 21, 2025
3. Arvada's First Park Marker location
Credits. This page was last revised on November 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2025, by Carolyn J Deardorff of Broomfield, Colorado. This page has been viewed 89 times since then and 64 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 29, 2025, by Carolyn J Deardorff of Broomfield, Colorado. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
