Carlson Park, Culver City, California

Carlson Park is a suburban neighborhood in central Culver City, California. It is named for Dr. Paul Carlson Park, a city park in the center of the neighborhood, which is named for Culver City native Dr. Paul Carlson, a medical missionary martyred in the former Belgian Congo. Students residing in the neighborhood are zoned either to Linwood E. Howe Elementary or Farragut Elementary, and to Culver City Middle School and Culver City High School. Its ZIP code is 90232.

History

The current location of the Carlson Park neighborhood was formerly occupied by two racetracks: the first, a horse track, opened in 1923 and closed the following year. On the same land in 1924 a motor raceway, the "Los Angeles Speedway," was opened. This venture was more successful but lasted no later than 1927, when the city council approved the founding of the first park in Culver City. This park, originally named Victory Park by the mayor's wife because "it was a victory to get a park", was later renamed Carlson Park. [ [http://www.culvercity.org/cityinfo/history/ City of Culver City History] . Accessed June 11, 2007.]

Within just a few years, local residents began calling the surrounding neighborhood Carlson Park. [Classified advertisement. (1973, May 6). "The Los Angeles Times", p. A12.] Carlson Park's location in Culver City on Los Angeles' fashionable Westside near the I-10 and I-405 freeways have contributed to the substantial increase in property value the neighborhood has seen over the last few decades: while houses in Carlson Park cost in the tens of thousands in the early 1970s, [Ibid.] the current price of a home in the 90232 zipcode averages in the $800,000's.Fact|date=July 2008

Geography

The neighborhood is bounded on the northwest by Culver Boulevard, on the northeast by Jasmine Avenue, on the southeast by Ballona Creek, and on the southwest by Keystone Avenue. It is located to the southwest of both City Hall and Downtown Culver City. Directly across Culver Boulevard sits Sony Pictures Studios.

treets

*Running Southwest/Northeast
**Braddock Drive
**Park Avenue
**Farragut Drive

*Running Northwest/Southeast
**Keystone Avenue
**Mentone Avenue
**Le Bourget Avenue
**Motor Avenue
**Vinton Avenue
**Jasmine Avenue

Transportation

Carlson Park is served by the following Culver CityBus lines: [ [http://www.culvercity.org/depts_bus.asp Culver CityBus] . Accessed June 11, 2007.]
*Line 3 - Century City
*Line 5 - Braddock Drive
*Line 7 - Culver Boulevard

Notable residents

*Gary Silbiger, former mayor of Culver City
*Steve Rose, former mayor of Culver City
*Stephen D. Doherty II, Philanthropist

See also

*Culver City, California
*Dr. Paul Carlson Park

References