The park's land was donated by Stanley W., Dove C., and Elizabeth P. Houghton in memory of their father Col. Sherman Otis Houghton and his wife Eliza Donner Houghton, who was an orphaned daughter of the fateful Donner party that died in the snowpack at Donner Lake in 1846.
The park features a community recreation center, baseball diamonds, a soccer field overlay on the baseball diamonds and a separate soccer field, a playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a skate park built in 2004. Additionally, there are picnic areas, restrooms, and a senior citizen's center.
The park has hosted events such as the LB Uptown Jazz festival, which features fantastic music, good food, and merchandise vendors, making it a family-friendly event.
The park is well-maintained, with clean and well-manicured grounds, providing a family environment and a nice atmosphere.
The community center was renamed in 2021 to honor Doris Topsy-Elvord, a former Long Beach Vice Mayor and advocate for equity, who was the first Black woman elected to the Long Beach City Council and served twice as vice mayor of the city.
2024 / forcalifornialovers.com
