Workers once hauled 863 drums off an old paint factory site that now sits beside a busy town park. That number alone made me stop, blink, and read it twice.
The plant made oil-based and latex paints and stains for more than four decades. Later, federal investigators found PCBs, heavy metals, and other chemicals in the soil and in the nearby river mud.
Today, part of that cleaned-up land holds a riverside stage built from repurposed stone. Right next door, kids zip across a playground while tennis players rally under lights that stay on until 10 PM.
I love a good comeback story, and this corner of New Hampshire delivered a big one. So how does a polluted paint site turn into a place where families fire up grills and stroll a river trail?
From Paint Cans To Picnic Blankets, This Comeback Story Is Wild
Paint used to be the main product on this stretch of the Souhegan River. Fletcher’s Paint Works ran here from 1949 to 1991, making oil-based and latex paints and stains.
The company also handled other chemical processing work. That detail matters, because it set up one of the biggest cleanup jobs in town history.
Keyes Memorial Park now sits right beside that former industrial ground. Part of the old paint site has become riverside parkland, plus extra parking for the park itself.
Back in the early 1980s, state environmental officials found leaking drums near the property. They also found site-related contamination in the Keyes Municipal Water Supply Well.
That well sat in the northwest corner of the park. Sampling showed low levels of volatile organic compounds and petroleum-related compounds, so the town pulled it from service in 1984.
The story got bigger in 1989. The EPA added a 2-acre area to its Superfund list as the Fletcher’s Paint Works and Storage site.
Investigators found PCBs, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds in nearby soils. They also found trouble in the river sediments, which is not what anyone wants in their favorite fishing spot.
So yes, the swing sets have a pretty dramatic backstory. Knowing it makes every lazy afternoon here feel a little more earned.
The Cleanup Numbers Will Make Your Garden Shovel Feel Tiny
Forty-four thousand tons. That’s roughly how much regulated material crews removed from the Mill Street and Elm Street areas, plus about 3,900 tons more of other material.
All of it got trucked off-site. Your weekend yard project suddenly looks adorable by comparison.
The work didn’t happen overnight, either. In 1988, crews removed 863 drums from the site.
By 1993, a wooden storage building on Mill Street came down. Workers cleared out hundreds more drums and boxes during that phase.
Neighbors felt the effects too. Soil removal wrapped up at three residential properties in 1995, and an adjacent cemetery got its own PCB soil removal in 1996.
The Elm Street building was demolished in 2001. Two nearby underground storage tanks were pulled out at the same time.
Crews also dug up contaminated Souhegan River sediments and replaced soil with clean fill. That river work helped make the shoreline safe for today’s trail walkers.
Most cleanup activities were finished in 2016. Site restoration and demobilization wrapped up by July 2017, closing a chapter that stretched across more than three decades.
Patience, it turns out, is a big part of building a park. New Hampshire got a riverside green space, and it only took a small army of excavators.
A Farm, A Trust, And A Clever Land Swap Came First
Long before ball fields and pool passes, this ground was farmland. Josiah Crosby owned the farm that eventually became the heart of the park.
I like how ordinary that start sounds. Cows and crops, not curveballs and cannonballs.
In 1957, the land was sold to the Arthur L. Keyes Memorial Trust.
That’s where the park’s name comes from, so now you can win a trivia round.
The trust then gave the property to the Milford School District. For a while, it looked like the land’s future belonged to students.
Then came a twist worthy of a board game. The school district transferred the land to the Town of Milford in exchange for Endicott Park.
Trades like that don’t happen every day. It’s a bit like swapping baseball cards, except each card is a whole park.
That swap set up Keyes Memorial Park as the town’s main community recreation park. Today it covers roughly 19 to 24 acres, depending on who’s measuring.
Knowing the history gives the place extra character. Every field here carries a little farm-to-fun story underneath the grass.
Next time you spread out a blanket, give a quiet nod to Josiah Crosby. His old farm is still putting in a solid day’s work.
Grab Your Towel Because The Town Pool Is Calling
Summer heat meets its match at the outdoor pool. Keyes Memorial Park sits at 45 Elm Street in Milford, and the pool is one of its biggest draws.
Little swimmers get their own spot too. A separate kiddie pool keeps the tiniest paddlers away from the big-kid splash zone.
The pool building handles the practical stuff. It includes restrooms, lockers, storage, a staff room, and an office.
There’s also a concession stand inside. That’s handy when someone in your group suddenly announces they’re starving after twelve minutes of swimming.
Plan around the schedule before you go. The park grounds are generally open, but pool hours are limited and seasonal.
Checking with the Milford Recreation Department first is the smart move. Nobody wants to show up in goggles to a locked gate.
Bring sunscreen, snacks, and a towel that isn’t already damp from last time. A spare pair of dry socks is a quiet hero too.
The pool sits close to the playground and courts. That makes it easy to split a family day between swimming and everything else.
Cooling off in a park with this much cleanup history feels fitting. The whole place is basically one big fresh start.
Bring A Glove, A Racket, Or Both
Count the diamonds and you’ll need more than one hand. The park has two 60-foot baseball fields, one 90-foot field, and two softball diamonds.
That’s a lot of infield dirt for one town park. Little League families, take note.
Soccer fields add even more running room. Spring and fall can turn this place into a cleat-covered parade.
Tennis players get four courts to choose from. Two of them stay lit until 10 PM every night, which is great news for after-work rallies.
Hoops fans have a full basketball court. There’s also a volleyball court and a street hockey court for anyone who prefers sticks to rackets.
Why stick with one sport when you can sample five? Bring a duffel bag and treat the afternoon like a tryout for every team at once.
Paved parking can fill up during busy game times. Arriving a little early saves you from that slow, hopeful lap around the lot.
The variety here makes it easy for groups with mixed interests. One person shoots free throws while another works on a backhand.
For a town in New Hampshire, this lineup is impressive. Honestly, the scoreboard should read Milford one, boredom zero.
Kids Will Sprint Straight To This Playground
A zipline, a climbing wall, and an old truck to climb on. Kids basically won the lottery with this playground lineup.
The space is large and open, so there’s room to roam. Regular swings and bucket swings cover both bigger kids and the little ones.
Toddlers get their own smaller structure with slides. It keeps the youngest climbers from getting bulldozed by speedy eight-year-olds.
The main structure has slides too, plus there’s a set of monkey bars. Grip strength contests are practically guaranteed.
A merry-go-round adds some old-school spinning fun. Grown-ups may want to sit that one out after lunch.
Sandbox fans have a spot with trucks for digging. Given the park’s history, I find it funny that kids now happily move dirt around for fun.
Pack water and a snack bag before you head over. Playground energy tends to vanish right when you’re farthest from the car.
Picnic tables and grills sit nearby, so parents can set up a home base. That makes birthday gatherings and long weekend afternoons much easier.
Watching kids race between the zipline and the truck sounds exhausting. It also sounds like the best kind of tired at bedtime.
Skaters And Spray Paint Artists Get Their Own Turf
Teenagers often get left out of park planning. Not here, thanks to a fenced skate park that’s open to the public.
Skateboarders and other riders can practice tricks in a dedicated space. Protective gear is strongly recommended, so pack the helmet and pads.
Scraped knees are a skating tradition. Still, nobody needs to collect them as souvenirs.
Right nearby, things get even more colorful. The park has a graffiti wall where artists are allowed to paint.
That’s a pretty fun twist for a former paint factory neighborhood. The paint is finally being used for good instead of leaking out of drums.
The wall changes as new artists add their work. Every visit could reveal a fresh piece you haven’t seen before.
Bring a phone for photos, but be respectful of anyone working on a piece. Artists appreciate space, just like skaters appreciate a clear landing.
These two features give Keyes Memorial Park a creative, youthful edge. It feels less like a strict town lawn and more like a place that welcomes self-expression.
I believe every town needs spots like this. They tell young people their hobbies matter, and that’s worth more than any kickflip.
Cross The Bridge For A Quiet Riverside Escape
The Souhegan River runs right along the park’s edge. It brings a calm, breezy feel that balances out all the ball games and skate tricks.
Well-kept trails let you walk, run, or hike near the water. Open spaces along the bank make it easy to slow down for a few minutes.
Then there’s the bridge. It connects the park to a nature trail across the river managed by the Boys and Girls Club of Souhegan Valley.
Little kids tend to love bridges for obvious reasons. Rivers look extra exciting when you’re standing right above them.
Remember those polluted river sediments from the cleanup? Crews dug them out and replaced them, which helped make this peaceful shoreline possible.
The river walk works in almost any season in New Hampshire. Fall colors and spring greenery give it two very different personalities.
Comfortable shoes are a must for the trails. Bug spray is a smart pick during warmer months too.
A quick loop is great for clearing your head after a long week. It also makes a solid warm-up before a pickup game on the courts.
Leashed pups seem built for strolls like this. Just pack a bag, because good trail manners never go out of style.
Fire Up The Grill And Catch A Show By The Water
Picnic plans just got an upgrade. The park offers a picnic area with grills, plus a pavilion with tables and a pergola.
Covered seating is a lifesaver on sunny afternoons. It also helps when a surprise shower tries to crash your party.
Along the redeveloped riverbank, you’ll find an open-air public performance stage. It was built in 2019 using repurposed stone.
That stage sits on land that once belonged to a cleanup zone. Now it hosts the kind of gatherings the old paint plant could never have imagined.
Why does this matter so much? Because it shows the cleanup didn’t just remove a problem, it created a community space.
Engineered soil and plant cover protect the restored ground. Rules against digging and groundwater use stay in place to keep everyone safe.
So skip the shovel and stick with the sandwiches. The grass is meant for blankets, not backyard excavation projects.
Families can easily spend a whole day here. Swim in the morning, grill at lunch, and wander the river path before heading home.
Keyes Memorial Park proves second chances can look beautiful. Few spots in New Hampshire turn a cleanup story into a front-row seat by the river.
