The Flaming Jalopies

In 1938 Rocky Butte was the location of public “dumpings” by the Automotive Dealers Association. It was a promotional event to buy back steel from condemned car models and promote buying new cars. As you can see from this film footage the Butte was barren of trees in this era, people lined up along the steep slope to watch the flaming cars tilt and tumble off the big wooden teeter totter, entertainment that drew a very large crowd!

At this scene in the footage you can see Fremont St, looking west. Are those little dots in the background people, stumps, parked cars, cows and goats?

At this still image from the film footage you can see Hill Military Academy in the background and also the “Tallest Flag Pole West of the Mississippi”. This first flaming “dumping” event was on the western slope of the Butte. However in the 1950s there was another flaming event where the auto promoters launched them off the northeastern cliff sides and down into the old quarry. Believe it or Not, it really happened at Rocky Butte!