John Hinkel Park
| John Hinkel Park | |||||||||||
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| Type | City park | ||||||||||
| Location | 41 Somerset Place, Berkeley, California, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°53′43″N 122°16′24″W / 37.895278°N 122.273333°W | ||||||||||
| Area | 4.9 acres (2.0 ha) | ||||||||||
| Operated by | City of Berkeley | ||||||||||
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John Hinkel Park is an urban park located in the North Berkeley neighborhood of Berkeley, California, U.S. It has been listed by the city as a Berkeley Landmark since April 2, 2001,[1] and it contains a historical plaque since 2003.[2]
History
[edit]In 1919, Ada and John Hinkel donated 7 acres (2.8 ha) of hillside land to the city of Berkeley, in dedication to the Boy Scouts of America's work during World War I.[2] John Gregg, a local professor in landscaping, had helped with the design of the park before it was donated to the city.[2] The amphitheater was built in 1934 and designed by Vernon Dean and funded by the Civil Works Administration.[2] The amphitheater was used in the 1940s for community gatherings, music, and dance productions. It was also the performance space for the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival from 1971 until 1991.[3] In recent years the amphitheater has been used by a number of theatrical groups, including Shotgun Players,[4][5] Women's Will,[6] Open Opera,[7] Inferno Theatre,[8][9] and Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.[10][8][11] The City of Berkeley also sponsors occasional live musical performances.[12] The park also contains picnic tables and a playground.[13]
It once contained a redwood clubhouse (1918–2015), which was the home of the Berkeley Folk Dancers until 1984, was declared unsafe due to foundation issues and ultimately burned down in a fire.[13] The park was renovated in 2022.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^ Cerny, Susan (February 16, 2002). "John Hinkel Park". Berkeley Landmarks. Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA). Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "John Hinkel Park". Berkeley Historical Plaque Project. 2003. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ Moss, Whitney (November 24, 2023). "Secret Spots: John Hinkel Park in North Berkeley". 510 Families. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Shotgun Players". www.shotgunarchive.org. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ "Shotgun Players". www.shotgunarchive.org. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ "Women's Will Makes Richard III a Day in the Park By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet. Category: Press Releases from The Berkeley Daily Planet". www.berkeleydailyplanet.com. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ "Open Opera". dev.sfcv.org. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ a b "Around & About Theater: 'Penthesilea' Free Outdoors at John Hinkel Park Amphitheater; Kurt Weill at Masquers Playhouse; Oscar Wilde at Marin Shakespeare. Category: Arts & Events from The Berkeley Daily Planet". www.berkeleydailyplanet.com. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ Kwok, Iris (July 19, 2024). "Don your old 'hippie threads' and watch a Shakespeare comedy set in the Summer of Love at a Berkeley park". Berkeleyside. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ Knobel, Lance (August 23, 2013). "The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend". Berkeleyside. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ Mendel, Emily S. (August 27, 2024). "Totally fun and totally free, Moliere's 'The Imaginary Invalid' shines". Berkeleyside. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
- ^ Gilbert, Iris Kwok, Andrew (June 20, 2024). "Around Berkeley: Amateur Radio Summer Field Day, documentaries on wildlife conservation, garlic". Berkeleyside. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Kwok, Iris (July 18, 2022). "Revamped amphitheater, new picnic area open at John Hinkel Park". Berkeleyside. Retrieved December 30, 2023.