Bunning Park - Evans Street

In this area were homes dug into the banks of Bitter Creek. All kinds of filth and debris accumulated in the creek bottom during the year. Runoff in the spring forced residents temporarily to abandon their dugouts. David Thomas (early mayor and local poet) wrote the following about Bitter Creek:

Your yearly reckless inundation
Provides the Means of sanitation
Besides, the Lord knows very well
When you have purged yourself of smell
And other things that much displease
You’ve freed the town of foul disease.

After major flooding in 1924, Mayor Christian Bunning rechanneled Bitter Creek to the outskirts of town. The city’s first park on the filled-in creek bed was referred to as “Bunning’s folly” because “everyone knows that trees and grass will never grow in Rock Springs.” There is a memorial to Mayor Bunning in the park as well as a statue honoring local World War I soldiers.

Leave Bunning Park by walking south along J Street. These homes are typical turn-of-the-century miners’ houses. Putz Livery was located in the parking lot on your right and was the last blacksmith shop in Rock Springs.

Turn right onto Fifth Street. Look at the backs of the buildings you saw on North Front. Of particular interest are the rear additions to the Heitz Hardware building you saw on North Front. The original building is a one-story, wood-frame false front with a rolled asphalt gable roof. The 1903 addition is wood with a wood shingle roof. The last addition is made of cement block.

Chalice’s Livery Stable was located on your right. It was the first and, for awhile, the only business on the north side of the railroad tracks. It was a large enterprise with a carriage house, wagon house, stage line, corral, horse shelter, hay storage, and livery.

When you come to the corner, turn left onto Elk Street.