Highlighting Sacramento: Land Park
Hello and welcome back to the Cooper & Associates Realty blog! As experienced Realtors with over a decade of experience in the industry, we have learned so much about what makes our area of the golden state an incredible, sought after place to plant your roots.
Starting now, expect to see weekly posts detailing the lovely, lesser known, and unique qualities that make each featured neighborhood special. We’re going to go ahead and get started featuring one of our more iconic neighborhoods: William Land Park.
Introduction: When traversing through the greenery present in Land Park, one is able to immediately understand why Sacramento is referred to as “The City of Trees”. The neighborhood consists of tree-lined streets filled with charming & unique tudor-style homes. The 166.5 acre namesake park that the neighborhood is famous for contains beautiful walking paths, ponds, and playgrounds.
Continue reading to learn more about the man we have to thank for this gorgeous park’s existence!
William Land – The Philanthropist Behind the Beauty
History: William Land was born on October 11th, 1836. With 14 siblings, Land did not enter into this world with many resources to fund his success. Forced into indentured servitude by his father, Land worked until he was able to end this arrangement and move west.
He arrived in San Francisco in 1860, and proceeded to walk to Sacramento to save travel costs. Once there, he worked to open the Western Hotel in 1875– the largest hotel in the west at the time. Land grew wealthy from his efforts, and was dedicated to using his resources to improve Sacramento — the town that he loved so much. Upon his death, Land donated $250,000.00 to the city to create a park, and gave $200,000.00 to the city’s poor. William Land Park – the glorious result of his philanthropic work – is still considered one of the most beloved, iconic community spaces the city has to offer. Thank you, William Land!
What to Check out: Within and surrounding Land Park’s acreage lies several fun and unique amenities that will keep you satisfied for many weekends to come! Look below to see a handful of our favorite spots.
Fairytale Town
3901 Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822
Nursery rhymes come to life at Sacramento’s famous Fairytale Town! This charming park contains life-size play structures themed around various classic children’s stories, including a giant shoe, block of cheese, and castle! Is your little one an animal lover?
Fairytale Town is home to some very friendly farm animals!
Funderland
William Land Park, 1350 17th Ave, Sacramento, CA 95822
Funderland, located adjacent to Fairytale town, is a small, charming amusement park complete with rides and fun activities for children. Unlike other parks, this one is centered around small children only. Opened in 1946, this old-school park is a blast from the past, and is a staple in the lives of children in the area.
The Sacramento Zoo
3930 W Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822
The Sacramento Zoo, located in the park across from Funderland, is a great place to take your loved ones. This zoo is home to many amazing creatures despite its smaller size. Come see flamingos, lions, leopards, giraffes, and don’t forget to peruse the reptile house!
Shakespeare in the Park
3901 Land Park Drive
Every summer, the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival is hosted at the outdoor stage in William Land Park. This is a great opportunity to support the arts while enjoying the beauty of the park during this time of year.
The William Land Park Golf Course
1701 Sutterville Rd, Sacramento, CA 95822
A large chunk of the park is actually a golf course! Enjoy playing while walking through the park’s rolling green landscape. What more could you ask for?
Vic’s Ice Cream/ Vic’s Cafe
3199 Riverside Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95818
Hungry? Vic’s Ice Cream is an iconic staple spot in Land Park. Enjoy a variety of ice cream flavors, sandwiches, and specialty drinks at one of Sacramento’s most beloved establishments. Vic’s recently opened a coffee shop next door with a great selection of high-quality coffee and entrees. Enjoy!
The Historic WPA Rock Garden
The WPA Rock Garden is a lovely place to stroll through on a sunny Spring day. This garden was built during the Depression as one of Roosevelt’s public works projects in 1940. Check out this lovely, historic spot the next time you’re looking for some quality outdoor time- you wont regret it.
That’s all for this week! Tune in next Thursday for another neighborhood profile. Take care, and remember to connect to us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Youtube!
Sources:
Cooper & Associates Blog
