DU PONT, Wash. — Residents of this historic Pierce County city have raised alarms over a patch of unplanted fruit trees sitting idle near City Hall, a delay now revealed to stem from toxic soil contamination linked to a long-defunct industrial polluter. The half-dozen saplings, intended for the DuPont Heirloom Orchard, represent cuttings from venerable trees brought from England more than 180 years ago, but their planting has been halted after city tests confirmed elevated levels of arsenic and lead in the ground.
The concerns bubbled up on social media platforms like Facebook in recent weeks, with neighbors questioning why the trees remained unrooted in what was meant to be a tribute to the area's pioneer past. Mayor Ron Frederick addressed the issue directly during a conversation on Tuesday, explaining to reporters that the contamination traces back to the former Asarco copper smelter plant in nearby Tacoma, which operated for decades before closing in the 1980s and left a legacy of environmental damage across the region.
According to Frederick, the city only confirmed the soil's toxicity last week, despite staff suspicions dating back years. "Staff suspected the soil was contaminated but wanted to give the council factual confirmation before its discussions," the mayor said. A fence emblazoned with a sign reading "Authorized Personnel Only" has encircled the site for years, a precaution that now takes on new urgency as the city weighs its next steps.
The DuPont Heirloom Orchard project has been in the works for nearly a decade, envisioned as a living memorial to the fruits planted by early settlers at Fort Nisqually in the 1840s. Those original trees, imported from England by Hudson's Bay Company traders, were part of the fort's self-sustaining farm and symbolized the blend of British colonial ambition and Pacific Northwest resilience. The current saplings are direct descendants, propagated to preserve that lineage amid DuPont's growth from a quiet ex-military town into a bustling suburb.
Frederick emphasized the historical significance during his remarks, noting that the City Council will convene in the new year to deliberate on whether to invest in a cleanup of the contaminated plot or find an alternative location for the orchard. "I anticipated the council to debate the historical value of the trees and make a decision on where the trees would be planted by springtime," he said. In the interim, the mayor reassured the public that the young trees are holding up well in their temporary holding. "The trees aren’t dying and ‘are fine like they are,’" Frederick added.
The revelation of the contamination has amplified long-standing worries among DuPont residents about the environmental scars left by industrial activities in Pierce County. The Asarco smelter, once a major employer in Tacoma's Ruston neighborhood, spewed emissions that affected air, water, and soil for over a century, leading to one of the largest Superfund cleanups in U.S. history. Federal authorities designated the site a national priority for remediation in 1983, and while much of the smelter grounds have been addressed, off-site impacts like those in DuPont continue to surface.
Local environmental advocates, though not directly quoted in initial reports, have echoed the neighbors' frustrations on social media, pointing to the site's proximity to City Hall and potential risks to public health. One Facebook user, posting under the name "DuPont History Buff," wrote, "These trees are our heritage—why risk them on poisoned ground?" The post garnered dozens of shares, highlighting a community sentiment that blends pride in the past with apprehension about the present.
City officials have been tight-lipped on the extent of the contamination, but Frederick indicated that testing was prompted by the orchard planning process. The plot near the original Fort Nisqually location—now a reconstructed historic site drawing thousands of visitors annually—had been eyed for the project due to its symbolic ties. Fort Nisqually, relocated from its original spot in present-day Tacoma to its current DuPont home in the 1930s, serves as a key educational hub managed in partnership with the Metro Parks Tacoma.
Experts familiar with the Asarco legacy, speaking generally about similar sites, note that arsenic and lead can persist in soil for generations, posing risks through ingestion, inhalation, or uptake into plants. While the city has not released specific concentration levels, Frederick's confirmation aligns with broader patterns of contamination documented in environmental assessments from the 1990s and 2000s. The Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing oversight of the Asarco Tacoma Smelter Plume Superfund site includes monitoring in adjacent areas like DuPont, where groundwater and soil sampling has occasionally flagged exceedances of safe limits.
Neighbors' concerns extend beyond the trees to questions about broader land use in DuPont, a city that has seen rapid residential and commercial development since its incorporation in 1999. The Heirloom Orchard was pitched as a green space that could enhance the downtown area, fostering community events and tourism tied to the fort's history. Delays now raise doubts about timelines, with some residents speculating on Facebook that budget constraints could further complicate remediation efforts.
In response to the social media buzz, Frederick's office issued a brief statement affirming the city's commitment to transparency. "We appreciate the community's interest in preserving our history and ensuring safety," it read. The mayor's Tuesday discussion with The News Tribune, which first verified the contamination details, underscores an effort to quell rumors before they escalate.
Looking ahead, the City Council's decision will hinge on cost-benefit analyses, including remediation expenses that could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars for a site of this size. Comparable cleanups in the region, such as those at former smelter-adjacent parks, have involved soil removal, capping, or phytoremediation using plants to absorb toxins. Frederick suggested that relocating the trees to a nearby uncontaminated parcel remains a viable option, potentially near the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum.
The episode highlights the enduring challenge of balancing historical preservation with environmental stewardship in areas scarred by industrial pasts. DuPont, with its roots in the 19th-century fur trade and later as a company town for the DuPont chemical firm, has worked to reclaim its narrative through initiatives like the orchard. Yet, as the trees await their fate, they serve as a poignant reminder of how yesterday's progress can complicate tomorrow's plans.
As winter sets in, the unplanted saplings stand as quiet sentinels, their English heritage paused by American soil's hidden burdens. Community members, from history enthusiasts to worried parents, await the council's verdict, hoping for a resolution that honors both legacy and safety. For now, the fence remains, a barrier not just to the site but to a piece of DuPont's unfolding story.
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