It’s “back to the future” for the former poor farm in Hazel Dell — and that’s a good thing for the entire community.
With the county’s blessing and agreement, the poor farm’s agricultural presence will blossom again. What it needs is a bit more money to sprout public gardens, a community center, and perhaps a farmers market.
This 79-acre parcel of land between Northeast 78th and 68th streets, one mile east of Interstate 5 with upland views of Mount St. Helens, was a farm for the county’s poor, homeless, elderly and disabled men and women. That activity occurred from the late 1800s to the 1940s. Then the land was given to Washington State University by the county in 1949 for use as an agricultural research station.
This historic land includes the poor farm or Marble Mount Cemetery, the final resting place for 200 people, many of them indigents.
The farm functioned as an agriculture research station until WSU said it did not need it, because farming activity was declining in Clark County.
By agreement, the property would revert to the county if WSU stopped using it for six months as an agricultural station. In 2004, the county and WSU considered selling the land and splitting the proceeds. Plans were drafted for a business park and housing.
About that time, some residents of a county that had mushroomed to 383,000 people began to think about the dwindling areas of open space, and growing development.
Local residents and businesses began to feel they were left out of the planning loop. “I’m not happy with the whole process,” Bud Van Cleve of the Northeast Hazel Dell Neighborhood Association said at the time. “We already have enough development,” declared Curtis Achziger of the same neighborhood association. “One thing we don’t have is any new parks.” Influenced by negative public reaction, Clark County and WSU dropped plans to sell the property.
By 2007, Marc Boldt, then as now a Clark County commissioner, advocated for ball fields and a park on the land, thus providing more open space in a county where Mother Earth was becoming less visible.
Planning took a new direction, away from townhouses and business offices and back to the rural roots, with more people putting the tag “heritage farm” on the land.
The die was cast early in April with plans for the poor farm’s new role approved by the county commissioners.
Some money — from the federal stimulus bill — has been located by the county to improve heating, cooling and electrical systems in the main building on the site, one of several remaining. This building housed agricultural researchers. Laura Pedersen, from the county’s general service department, said work is valued at $250,000 to $450,000. The building will shelter WSU Clark County Extension programs.
More grants are sought, with one valued at $100,000 for a farmers market promotion. Pedersen told The Columbian recently that the county has hired an archaeologist to determine if the poor farm cemetery qualifies as a historic site. If it does, more grant help could follow.
Other components of the makeover include a trail system with viewpoints, greenhouses, community and food bank gardens, demonstration farming, and a community learning center.
Heritage Farm will be a triumph over sprawl and a tribute to open space and public values.
