Kelly Butte Natural Area facts for kids

Kelly Butte Natural Area is a cool city park in Portland, Oregon. It's about 23 acres (9.3 ha) big and sits in the southeast part of the city. You can find it just east of Interstate 205.

The park gets its name from an early settler named Clinton Kelly. He moved to this area in 1848. Kelly Butte is actually part of the Boring Lava Field. This field has 32 old volcanoes, called cinder cones and shield volcanoes, located in or near Portland.

Inside the butte, there's a concrete bunker that's now sealed up. It was built in 1955–56 to help the city during emergencies. Later, it was used for calling in emergency services. You might even see it in an old movie called A Day Called X.

Kelly Butte's Past: A Look at Its History

An aerial view of Kelly Butte, around 1963.

In 1848, a pioneer named Clinton Kelly settled in the Willamette Valley. This area is now known as southeast Portland. Streets and parks like Clinton Street are named after him.

One of Clinton's sons, Plympton Kelly, started a farm near Kelly Butte. People knew it as the Kelly Butte farm.

Around 1906, a place for crushing rocks opened here. It was used to get materials for Portland's roads. This facility operated until the 1950s.

After the rock-crushing site closed, a special bunker was built in 1956. This bunker was designed to help the city during emergencies. It was a large building, about 20,000 square feet. It could hold 250 people for two weeks if needed.

Later, from 1974 to 1994, this bunker became a center for emergency calls. It helped dispatch police, fire, and medical services. In 1994, it closed down. Then, in 2006, it was permanently sealed off.

From 1920 to 1960, Kelly Butte also had a hospital. This hospital cared for people with serious illnesses. In 1968, a large water tank was built where the hospital used to be.

In 2010, the city decided to replace the old water tank. They planned a much bigger, underground water reservoir. This new reservoir will help supply drinking water to the city.

Nature at Kelly Butte: Plants and Animals

In 2003, park rangers checked out the plants in Kelly Butte. They found that some areas were very healthy. Other parts needed more care.

In 2013, workers began a big project. They started building the new underground water reservoir. As part of this work, they removed sick or dead trees. They also took out plants that didn't belong there. These "invasive" plants can harm native plants and animals. They can also cause more stormwater runoff.

One main goal of the reservoir project is to reduce these invasive plants. After the construction is finished, many new plants will be added. Over 1,600 trees and 7,200 shrubs will be planted.

Many new trees will go on the north side of the butte. The south side will get an oak savanna. This means it will have oak trees and open grassy areas. Wildflowers will also be planted.

Some parts of the park will stay mostly the same. The Douglas fir and big leaf maple trees on the west and north sides will remain. Park staff will keep watching the plants after the project finishes in 2015.