Stodden Park - Butte, Montana

Northwest Playground Equipment was awarded the contract to build the Stodden Park playground following a competitive RFP process involving multiple playground manufacturers and representatives. Butte-Silver Bow County had a clear and unique vision: they wanted a destination playground—one of great scale, high play value, and unique theming that would represent the city of Butte. The goal was to create a playground that would attract children and families not only from the local community but from across the entire western Montana region. Inclusivity was also a key element in their vision, ensuring the playground would be accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

The city of Butte is deeply connected to its mining history. Once known as "the richest hill in the world," Butte was the largest city between San Francisco and Chicago during its mining boom. This rich history is evident in the city’s landscape, and it served as the inspiration for our playground design. Our challenge was to incorporate Butte's mining legacy and geography into the playground itself. To achieve this, we teamed up with Playworld and ID Sculpture to integrate playful Gallus frames, mountain shapes, and mining equipment into the design.

The Gallus frames were transformed into play structures for both the 2-5 and 5-12 age groups, with custom playground elements, including a mining-themed Zip Line designed to resemble the iconic mining hoists. We also partnered with ID Sculpture to bring the Big M mountain into the playground, creating a play space that reflects the local geography.

In addition to its thematic elements, the playground features inclusive play components such as a teeter tunnel, Concerto music equipment, and a mining-themed scavenger hunt. These elements ensure that children of all abilities can engage and enjoy the playground experience.

As one of the largest playgrounds not just in the region but anywhere, Stodden Park is truly a destination playground in every sense of the word, and we are excited to have been part of this landmark project.