From the 1800s to the 1900s, the area which would come to be known as Burbank evolved from an agrarian stepping stone to a slowly developing residential hub. Burbank changed from a Spanish land grant holding to a suburban centrality of early shops and stores, homes and schools. The baking heat and mild winters with no snow and mostly no rain was welcome relief to East Coast uproots looking for a habitable place to settle. But the first problem of living in Burbank was how to get there.

After rail, bus, and trolley car eradicated the 1800’s era horse and buggy, Burbank was ready to become a thriving suburb of Los Angeles. The Burbank North Estates neighborhood was formed around the residential building blocks of earlier settlement. The North Estates are more remote from both the traffic of the freeways and yet remain adjacent to the convenience of Downtown Burbank.

The Burbank North Estates neighborhood includes Brace Canyon Park and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Burbank North Estates is a space delimited, highly desirable living area. The view lots and vantage above Burbank in the Verdugo Hills make for high home values. Population density in Burbank North Estates is just above a third that of Burbank overall.

Brace Canyon Park is a great day trip for neighborhood residents or Burbankans at large. Opened in 1955, Brace was a seedling park in this new neighborhood of mountain homes. The ball fields were finished in 1960. Brace is a scenic resource for Burbank residents jaded with the “lower Burbank” overbaked flats. Mountain breezes and tall trees with ball fields inside the “bowl” within make a pleasant respite during the infrequent triple digit summer days.

Tennis courts and a zipline make it the ideal kids’ park visit. Softball diamonds play host to the many leagues of child and adult Burbank softball and baseball games. Burbank North Estates is not quite walking distance but a quick drive to Wildwood Canyon Park, McCambridge Park, and DeBell Golf Course. Stough Park and the Burbank Nature Center is close by, as is the Starlight Bowl.

The Burbank North Estates area is Lamer Road, Brace Canyon to Rolling Ridge, Rolling Ridge to Haven Way, Haven Way to Viewcrest Drive, Viewcrest Drive to Joaquin Drive, Joaquin Drive to Irving Drive, Irving Drive to North Kenneth Road, then North Kenneth Road to Keystone Street. Keystone Street curves into Lamer and the enclosed area is the Burbank North Estates neighborhood with Brace Canyon Park in the center.

This area has a high density of native born, English speaking married people with children and above average education and employment. The Burbank North Estates community is a somewhat isolated neighborhood with a bedroom community feel and little to no commercial industry.

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