History of the Garden
Long before the pioneers settled in the valley, the area where Creekside Community Garden is located was the winter campsite for the Native Americans. At the time, it was full of deer, willow trees and even fish in the stream during wintertime. In the mid-1800’s, pioneer John Scott and his family settled in Millcreek where he built his homestead. The remainder of this historical home is just one building, now occupied by Millcreek Gardens, and the street named after the man himself, Scott Avenue.
30 years ago, the area that is now Ben Franklin Park and the site of the new Creekside community garden was home to the Scott Avenue fish hatchery. The hatchery was constructed so Salt Lake County could produce - rather than buy - trout eggs. The property on the north side of Scott Avenue was turned into another hatchery in 1938, ultimately making Scott Avenue one of the largest fish hatcheries in the state, capable of producing 300,000 fish annually. The fish hatched here were used to stock East Canyon, Big Cottonwood, Millcreek, Little Cottonwood, Mt. Dell, Holbrook and Parley’s. By 1978, the hatchery was idle and not producing any fish, so the state sold the land to developers.
This land has fed many. First as a food source of deer and fish for the natives and settlers, and now we carry this history forward for seasons of healthy produce and cultivation of community.