This small park honors the citizen science efforts of a local resident, Verna Mize, who drew public attention to the potential environmental/health hazards of asbestiform, cummingtonite waste being dumped directly into Lake Superior at Reserve Mining Company in Two Harbors, Minnesota.  The Mize effort led to a lawsuit that was settled after 13 year dispute in 1980.  In the settlement the company stopped the dumping. The case is important for environmental action as it developed the idea of acting preventatively in the face of scientific uncertainty about the real risks.

The park was established in 1981 and is maintained by the City of Houghton.  A highlight of the park is a small rock display which includes a beautiful float native copper specimen and small rocks from local mine dumps.