Metzger Farm
Northeast corner of 120th Avenue/Lowell Boulevard.
This 150-acre open space is owned by the Broomfield/Westminster Open Space Foundation and was acquired in 2006 from the Metzger family (more information here). The city of Westminster contributed $5,004,850 and city and County of Broomfield contributed $3,992,650 towards this $11,000,000 acquisition. The remainder was contributed by the Adams County Open Space Program and Great Outdoors Colorado. The property is located within Westminster, but is bordered on the west and north by Broomfield.
The Metzger Farm is a crown jewel of Westminster’s open space program. The property has unique natural areas as well as a rich history. Hidden from view are two scenic ponds. The smaller 1.11 acre upper pond is mostly a cattail-filled wetland. The 4.05 acre lower pond is deep enough to support fish. Both ponds attract a wide variety of water fowl including ducks, Canadian Geese, white egrets, great blue herons, night crested herons and pelicans
East of the lower pond is the Big Dry Creek riparian area. Huge cottonwood trees create a beautiful shady environment. Owls and hawks are attracted to this area.
The farm house and 9 farm outbuildings line the north side of the two ponds. The farm was mostly used as a cattle grazing operation by the Metzger family, although dairy cows were kept at one point.
John and Betty Metzger bought the farm in 1943, which at the time totaled 320 acres. John was a lawyer and Betty a stay-at-home mom to their two children, Bill and Karen.
John served as Attorney General for the State of Colorado between 1948 and 1951. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1952.
A master plan for the property was completed in 2010. The plan includes several trails to access the farm buildings, ponds, fields and Big Dry Creek area. The first phase of construction on the site will include a parking lot and over 2 miles of trails and parking lot and will open in 2011.
The City of Westminster and City and County of Broomfield in 2005 purchased the 152-acre Metzger Farm property, located at 120th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, for open space. The Broomfield-Westminster Open Space Foundation was created by the two governments to jointly manage the open space property. A master plan for the property was approved in 2010.
View the Metzger Farm Open Space Master Plan
View the Metzger Farm Open Space Master Plan Map
View the Metzger Farm Open Space Master Plan Additional Maps - Natural recources, farmstead plan, opportunities and considerations.