One of the highlights during my trip to Washington state in September 2019 was visiting the film location for Carl Rodd’s bench. This brief-but-moving scene in Twin Peaks Part 6 on Showtime shows Mr. Rodd watching a mother and son play tag while he enjoys a cigarette and a cup of coffee from the Double R Diner. After my visit on September 14, I understand why this park is considered a favorite among North Bend, Washington residents.
WHERE IS CARL RODD’S BENCH IN PART 6 LOCATED?
E.J. Roberts Park is located at 500 Thrasher Ave NE in North Bend. The exact coordinates where his bench is located are 47° 29′ 49.218″ N 121° 46′ 24.81″ W.
The 4.9-acre neighborhood park, as described on the city of North Bend website is “located northeast of downtown within the Silver Creek Neighborhood. Park amenities include playground facilities, two tennis courts, a practice basketball court, restrooms, paved pathways, and landscaping.”
HISTORY OF E.J. ROBERTS PARK
The park was “formally dedicated on July 2, 1972” with land donated from Mr. Roberts according to R. Evans’ comment on a LivingSnoqualmie.com article from April 8, 2016:
“EJ Roberts was a good man, he donated this land to the City to create a park for the Silver Creek neighborhood because at the time I-90 (now North Bend Way) ran through the middle of town and there were no parks north of it.”
Elizabeth Gildersleeve posted the photo above on Facebook in 2015 with the caption: “Before there was an EJ Roberts Park- driveway in the foreground crossed a ‘proto’ 6th St NE with the land that would become EJ Roberts Park in the background. 1950’s.”
I then tried finding a photo of E.J. Roberts. The only reference I found was to a Mr. Roberts, “a prominent railroad and industrial magnate,” that had a spectacular home in Spokane, Washington. I don’t believe this is the same gentleman.
Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum offered these two photos from July 1959 with descriptions: “Men at EJ Roberts development construction,” and “Four men looking over building plans for EJ Roberts development.” It’s unknown if one of the four men were Mr. Roberts.
These descriptions along with R. Evans’ comment leads me to believe that Mr. and Mrs. Roberts were local North Bend residents who had acquired land over the years. They had a keen interest in creating a public space for their fellow citizens.
A Mountains To Sound Greenway newsletter from August 1996 turned a spotlight on Frances North former council woman who had served on the Greenway Trust Board since 1991. The article states she was instrumental in acquiring this land from the Roberts family: “As a council member she negotiated the gift of E.J. Roberts Park in eastern North Bend to include planning for the site by a landscape architect.”
Following a survey by the City of North Bend in summer 2015, upgrades for the park were added as “part of the city’s ongoing capital improvement projects.” They included a failing wooden pedestrian bridge that stretched across a floodway channel, a picnic shelter and new playground equipment (though the latter was later deemed unsafe and replaced in February 2019).
The improved park was reopened on April 20, 2016. It’s also now home to a Disc Golf Course that opened in late August 2017 thanks to Eagle Scout Griffin Nicolino of local Boy Scout Troop 466. Most likely Carl’s bench existed before these improvements were made since filming for this scene took place on September 21, 2015.
CARL RODD’S BENCH IN PART 6
The scene opens with Carl Rodd sitting on a bench drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette. You’ll notice a wooden fence has been added since the episode was shot (most likely related to the purchase of land adjacent to the park in 2017).
He looks up while enjoying being immersed in nature. I couldn’t resist, like many Twin Peaks fans before me, sitting in the same spot. While I’m hopeful some folks aren’t destroying the bench by taking paint chips, it seems like that is happening when you compare images (to paraphrase Jerry Horne, “That really makes me mad!”).
The scene cuts to trees above Carl. They are literally the same trees that are above the bench where he sits.
Carl looks up at the sky as the camera slowly moves in on his face.
I tried to create the same shot but it wasn’t quite the same with only a tripod and a 10-second timer.
After a beat, Carl looks off into the distance, lost in thought.
As mentioned, it was nearly impossible to get the exact shot but it didn’t stop me from trying. I took about 10 different images until I found one I liked.
Back to the trees, only this time, they are found above the right side of Carl’s bench.
The same trees rustling in the wind at E.J. Roberts Park.
MOTHER AND SON PLAYING TAG
Carl turns his attention to a mother and her son playing tag. I should have captured the image with the bench in the photo but you get the idea.
The “Hit and Run Mom” (played by Lisa Coronado) chases after the “Hit and Run Boy” (played by Hunter Sanchez).
Rodd smiles at this interaction which was such a joy to see. A much different reaction than the last time we saw him at the original Fat Trout Trailer Park in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
The “Hit and Run Boy” stops until his mother catches up to him. I wonder who the people are sitting on the far bench.
The same spot in E.J. Roberts Park on September 14, 2019.
Carl Rodd watches this mini-reunion unfold, unaware of the pure dread that awaits in the next scene.
He takes a sip of his coffee from the “RR2GO” branded cup and looks off again toward the left.
VIDEOS OF CARL RODD’S BENCH
After visiting E.J. Roberts Park on September 14, I posted a quickly edited video on my Twitter account on September 15.
We miss you, Carl Rodd. #TwinPeaks
…
🎧 “Farmland Tour” by Angelo Badalamenti pic.twitter.com/7WdiuY2bVE— Steven Miller (@samhowzit) September 15, 2019
At the time I posted it with the caption “We miss you, Carl Rodd,” I didn’t realize that it was the same day that the incomparable Harry Dean Stanton died in 2017.
Here’s the original video:
I also created a second ambient video with scenes from Carl Rodd’s bench. I love hearing the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.
