This park was constructed in 2000, predominantly by Anaconda Job Corps students and staff. It is as much a memorial park as anything, with many, many memorial pavers and plaques, primarily in memory of past employees of the
Anaconda Copper Company, builder of the smelter where the smokestack still stands.
There are several plaques in the park which elucidate upon the history of the smelter and the smokestack as well as the NRHP plaque, outlining the smokestack's place on the
National Register of Historic Places.
This plaque tells the visitor about the park and the smokestack viewing site and explains the significance of the fixtures within and of the brick pavers in the park.
Viewing Site
In the fall of 2000, this Washoe Smelter Stack Viewing center was officially dedicated by the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County local government and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The structures, smelter artifacts, and historic interpretive panels have been designed to present information about the Washoe Smelter and the role it played in the development of the community of Anaconda and the state of Montana.
This site has been designed to provide visitors an idea of the magnitude of the Washoe Smelter Stack structure during times when access to the Stack itself is unavailable. The walkways and central feature of this site have been constructed to convey an accurate idea of the actual size of the Washoe Smelter Stack.
Commemorative bricks have been purchased by the families and friends of individuals who worked at the smelter to honor the memory of their loved ones.
The illustrations below compare the overall height of the Stack with other prominent landmarks. The illustration to the right provides the dimensions of the structures at this visitors center and the section of Washoe Smelter Stack to which they correspond.
From the Plaque