The Burrell Park neighborhood is celebrating its centennial on August 24 with an event to share its history with the rest of the community. Burrell Court will be closed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a day of festivities, music and speeches.
Concerts will include jazz saxophonist Mike Mendoza and local indie band Thelves. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan will deliver remarks in the afternoon, presenting a commendation to the Burrell Park Neighborhood Association for organizing the event.
Other speakers include District 6 City Council member Dev Davis and the two candidates running for his seat in November, Olivia Navarro and Michael Mulcahy.
The Burrell Park neighborhood encompasses Burrell Court and Hedding and McKendrie streets. It was first developed in 1924 after Frank Lester Burrell and his wife Anne proposed subdividing their orchard at the intersection of Park Avenue and Hedding Court. The couple conceived the neighborhood as an affordable housing community; according to a newspaper advertisement from the 1920s, homes in Burrell Park sold for between $4,500 and $7,500.
At the celebration, Frank Burrell III, grandson of the neighborhood’s developer, will share insights and stories about his family’s contributions to the Santa Clara Valley, including what is now Burrell School Vineyards and Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Los Gatos.
The event is free to the public. The Preservation Action Council (PAC) will host neighborhood tours at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. A suggested donation of $5 will support the PAC’s efforts.
For more information, visit https://calsj.org/D6/BurrellParkHomePage.pdf.
