Land Park, Sacramento, California
Land Park is a neighborhood in the city of Sacramento. Land Park consists of mainly single-family dwellings in the area between Interstate 5 to the west, Broadway to the north, Sutterville Road to the south and Freeport Blvd to the east. William Land Park is its namesake, a major city park south of Highway 50 and east of Interstate 5 in South Sacramento. It also contains the Sacramento Zoo along with the popular children's theme parks Funderland and Fairy Tale Town. In addition, Land Park is the home to the popular Vic's Ice Cream,Tower Cafe, and Espresso Metropolitan. Steve Hansen is the city councilman for the entire Land Park area.
South Land Park
South Land Park is just south of Land Park and is bordered to the north by Sutterville Road, to the east by Freeport Blvd, to the west by Interstate 5 and to the south by Florin Road. One area that is not well known houses a huge part of the South Land Park community. It is called "Little Pocket." Contained by Riverside Blvd, it lies between Sutterville and 35th Ave. This small neighborhood borders along the Sacramento River and Interstate 5.
"Little Pocket" is host to a small park, Bahnfleth Park-- named after esteemed politician Emil A. Bahnfleth. This park is most popularly used for recreational soccer matches by local youth leagues. Additionally, the neighborhood has a Westin hotel with a Scott's Seafood restaurant and has a small, family owned chocolate store named Kobasic's Candies.
South Land Park Hills
South Land Park Hills is a subsection of the neighborhood on the southern end of South Land Park. This is the area bound by Fruitridge Road on the north, Pocket Road on the south, Freeport Boulevard/State Route 160 on the east, and Interstate 5 on the west. Parks in South Land Park Hills include Reichmuth Park, Cooledge Park, and Argonaut Park. This mostly residential section holds a combination of apartments and single-family houses, many of which were built in the mid-Twentieth Century, including many Eichler homes.
Famous Residents of the Land Park area
- Phil Angelides - former California State Treasurer and 2006 gubernatorial nominee
- Rex Babin - Political Cartoonist
- Charles Calderon - California State Legislator lives here while the legislature is in session.
- Deftones - Alternative Metal band.
- Joan Didion - famous writer grew up in the neighborhood
- Morton Downey Jr. - conservative radio commentator lived here when he was doing his TV show in the 80's in Sacramento
- Robert Fong - Sacramento City Councilmember, 4th district
- H. W. Harkness - a Gold Rush era physician and mycologist who owned most of the north-east corner of what is now the Land Park neighborhood
- Anthony Kennedy - U.S. Supreme Court Justice was raised in the neighborhood and lived here until his appointment to the court.
- Sheila Kuehl - Former California State Legislator from Santa Monica lived in Land Park while serving in the legislature.
- Doris Matsui - Congresswoman, succeeded her husband upon his death, worked in the Clinton White House
- Ronald Alvaraz - Tavern, restaurant owner (The Distillery) in downtown Sacramento for more than 50 years.
- Robert Matsui - Congressman 1979-2005, DCCC Chairman, Sacramento City Councilmember
- John Mockler - former Interim Secretary of Education in California and former Executive Director of the California State Board of Education
- Stephen Pearcy (activist) - Sacramento attorney
- Anne Rudin - former Sacramento Mayor
- William Vollmann - Essayist
- Jimmie Yee - Sacramento County Supervisor and former Sacramento Mayor