Parfet Park origins
(date unknown)
 

When the Transcript erred about the origins of Parfet Park recently, Laurence T. Criley, 2725 Lookout View Dr., former Golden banker and long-time member of the Kiwanis Club, was quick to respond. The park was developed by the Kiwanis Club, who raised about half the money for its purchase through donations from friends and business associates of George T. Parfet, past Kiwanis president who died in 1924. The rest of the money, $1750, was provided by the club itself. Members contributed on a monthly basis.

Arrangements were made with George Fitch, then superintendent of School District No. 1 (Golden) to deed the property over to the school district with the understanding that it would provide perpetual care, that the part facing 10th St. to the mill race would remain public and be known as Parfet Memorial Park, and from the mill race to Clear Creek would be used as a recreation ground for Golden High School, now Golden Junior High, across the street.

The millrace, which served the Peery Flour Mill on Ford St. at the Creek, was purchased by the city as a hazard some years ago, but the park stands. The school district; now the Jefferson County School District, has deeded the property over to the city of Golden, since they had no money budgeted to maintain it.

(Pioneer Museum Note: captions for the pictures that accompanied this article note that the site was formerly the city dump! Before that, it was the site of the first building in Golden--the Boston Company store, built by George West. A commemorative marker, laid by the Daughters of the American Revolution, marks the spot where the building stood.)

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