Sacramento · CA
River Park, Sacramento: Neighborhood Guide
River Park is a late-1940s and 1950s neighborhood inside a bend of the American River, reached by two entrances on H Street.
What is River Park?
River Park is a neighborhood about four miles east of downtown, tucked inside a bend of the American River. The river wraps it on the north and east. A historic rail line and H Street close it off on the west and south.
River Park works like one large cul-de-sac about two miles deep. It has two entrances, one block apart, on H Street. A rail levee separates it from East Sacramento, and a riverbank levee runs along the water side.
Sacramento State, which opened in 1952, sits a short way upriver.
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How did River Park grow up?
River Park's land has an early history. In 1849 A.P. Smith bought 50 acres on the south bank of the American River and built Smith's Gardens, a nursery and orchard known for zinfandel grapes, camellias and roses. Floods in the 1860s and 1870s ruined it.
The neighborhood came after World War II. By 1946 Louis Carlson and John Sandburg had bought most of the land and asked the city to annex it. Orchard Terrace Unit One went on sale in 1947 and Unit Two in 1948, laid out by planner Will G. Norris. Ads promoted "California Rancho" homes, many with fruit trees. More subdivisions filled the rest in the 1950s.
Many street names honor the people who built it, including Carlson Drive, Sandburg Drive, Spilman Avenue, Callister Avenue and Moddison Avenue.
What types of homes are in River Park?
River Park is made up of single-family homes from the late 1940s and 1950s. The early Orchard Terrace units were sold as California Rancho houses, and the later subdivisions followed in the same era, so much of River Park shares the ranch-house style those early ads promoted.
Many homes have been remodeled or expanded since. The ones that have not may still have original windows, panels and plumbing from the 1950s. A buyer's inspection should cover the sewer line and the roof as well.
Because River Park sits between two levees, check the flood zone and insurance cost for the specific address before you write an offer.
How do you get around River Park?
Every trip in or out of River Park runs through its two H Street entrances. From there, J Street and H Street lead west through East Sacramento to Midtown and downtown. The H Street truss bridge, built in 1932, crosses the American River.
Business 80, the Capital City Freeway, crosses the river near the neighborhood's west end. Sacramento State is a short ride upriver along the American River Parkway trail.
Which school district serves River Park?
River Park is served by Sacramento City Unified School District. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
What draws buyers to River Park?
River Park's parks follow the water. In 1950 the developers sold the city 47 acres of riverbank outside the levee and 7 acres inside it. Today Glen Hall Park has a pool, a baseball diamond, soccer fields, tennis courts, a picnic area and a playground.
Paradise Beach sits on the river with hiking and biking trails, including the Beaver Trail. In 2024 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed many riverbank trees during levee work.
The neighborhood has its own traditions. The River Park Garden Club, formed in 1951, has landscaped across the neighborhood, and a 1981 project led by Fran Yermol gave the H Street entrance its sign.
What should sellers in River Park know?
River Park homes started from similar ranch plans, so additions, remodels and lot position drive most of the price spread. A home near the river levee or Glen Hall Park can draw a different buyer than one near the H Street entrance. Have your flood insurance cost and any permits for past remodels ready.
Surroundings is led by Maggie B. Hopkins, a real estate broker, a mortgage broker and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). For a long-held single-story River Park home, she can help you decide which changes are worth making before you sell. See selling your home in Sacramento.
Ready to talk about River Park?
If you are buying here, read buying a home in Sacramento. If you are comparing nearby, see our guides to East Sacramento and Elmhurst, or the Sacramento neighborhoods guide. Then talk with Maggie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is River Park in Sacramento?
River Park is about four miles east of downtown, inside a bend of the American River, with H Street and a historic rail line on its south and west sides.
How do you get into River Park?
River Park has two entrances, one block apart, on H Street. The neighborhood works like one large cul-de-sac about two miles deep.
When was River Park built?
Orchard Terrace Unit One went on sale in 1947 and Unit Two in 1948, and more subdivisions filled the rest of River Park in the 1950s.
What parks are in River Park?
Glen Hall Park has a pool, ball fields, tennis courts and a playground, and Paradise Beach offers river access and trails including the Beaver Trail.
What school district serves River Park?
River Park is served by Sacramento City Unified School District. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
Is River Park in a flood zone?
River Park sits between a rail levee and a riverbank levee along the American River. Check the FEMA flood zone and insurance cost for each address.
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