Reclamation

Before World War II, the area northeast of Denver, CO, was predominantly farmland. In 1942 the US Army bought 30 square miles of land and established a chemical weapons facility known as the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

After the war, the Army leased the land to private companies to produce commercial pesticides until the early parts of the Cold War. At that point the arsenal was resurrected to once again create chemical weapons.

It wasn't until the mid 1980's when a study into the pollution and soil contamination at the site led to the discovery of wintering bald eagles. This discovery helped transform the Rocky Mountain Arsenal into the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

Today, portions of the refuge are open to the public as the cleanup continues. Visitors can hike on miles trails, fish in several lakes and view the many species of wildlife, such as deer, coyotes and the newest addition, buffalo, that call the refuge home.