HomeMy WebLinkAbout018-2019
RESOLUTION NO. 18-2019
DESIGNATING BRET HARTE PARK AS A
TOWN OF DANVILLE HERITAGE RESOURCE
WHEREAS, the Town of Danville is the owner of the 0.67-acre Bret Harte Park located near
the intersection of Diablo Road and Camino Tassajara; and
WHEREAS, the Danville Heritage Resource Commission held a public hearing on February
11, 2019 to consider recommending that the Town Council designate Bret Harte Park as a
Danville Heritage Resource; and
WHEREAS, at that meeting the Heritage Resource Commission approved Resolution No.
2019-02 recommending that the Town Council designate Bret Harte Park as a Danville
Heritage Resource; and
WHEREAS, the Danville Town Council reviewed the request during its meeting of April 2,
2019; and
WHEREAS, Section 32-72 of the Danville Municipal Code (Historic Preservation)
establishes criteria for designation of a heritage resource; and
WHEREAS, the designation of Bret Harte Park shall in no way hinder or effect the Town’s
ongoing maintenance or other future development of the park; and
WHEREAS, the history of Bret Harte Park includes the following:
• Bret Harte, an American writer and poet, known for his writings about minors,
gamblers, and other figures of the California Gold Rush, lived near what later
became Danville in the fall of 1856, and worked as a tutor to Abner Bryant in the
Tassajara Valley.
• The Bryant Ranch threaded through present day Danville and its surrounding hills.
• While in the area, Bret Harte is known to have climbed to the top of Mount Diablo
according to his “A Legend of Mount Diablo” story.
• Bret Harte later moved on to write other famous short stories such as “Luck of
Roaring Camp” in 1870 and “A First Family in Tassajara Valley” in 1892.
• In 1931 a Farm Bureau women’s committee organized to recognize Bret Harte’s
contribution to the San Ramon Valley and created the “Bret Harte Memorial Park”
at the junction of the Diablo, Danville, and Sycamore Roads and planted trees in the
newly created park. When Danville incorporated, Bret Harte Park came under its
jurisdiction and was recently extensively refurbished.
DocuSign Envelope ID: F8F47292-D2F2-48F8-9D6B-1AF3F914E522
PAGE 2 OF RESOLUTION NO. 18-2019
RESOLVED, that the Danville Town Council approves the designation of Bret Harte Park
as a Town of Danville Heritage Resource.
APPROVED by the Danville Town Council at a regular meeting held on April 2, 2019, by
the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAINED:
ABSENT:
_____________________________________
MAYOR
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
_______________________________ ______________________________________
TOWN ATTORNEY CITY CLERK
DocuSign Envelope ID: F8F47292-D2F2-48F8-9D6B-1AF3F914E522
Arnerich, Blackwell, Morgan, Storer, Stepper
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