Ann Arbor · MI
Burns Park homes and neighborhood life
Older homes on smaller lots near the businesses on Packard, with neighborhood traditions through the year.
Living in Burns Park
Burns Park is a neighborhood of older homes southeast of downtown Ann Arbor, many of them around 100 years old, set a little closer together on smaller lots. The businesses on Packard Street, including Argus Farm Stop, are a short walk away, and from some parts of the neighborhood you can walk downtown.
At the center is Burns Park itself, a 15-acre city park. It has ball fields, a playground, a basketball court, tennis and pickleball courts, a pétanque court, a shelter, and picnic tables. In winter, the park's small hill is a sledding spot.
The neighborhood has its own traditions too, including a fun run in May and big Halloween celebrations. Burns Park Elementary is in the neighborhood.
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A park that used to be a racetrack
Burns Park has an unusual past. Before it was a park, it was the Washtenaw County fairgrounds, with a half-mile oval horse racing track, a horse barn, and a grandstand. County fairs, traveling carnivals, and circuses all used the grounds.
In 1910, Ann Arbor voters approved a special tax to buy the fairgrounds, and the city named the new park for George Burns, a University of Michigan botany professor who founded the city's park system. Horse racing continued for a few more years, until it moved out in the early 1920s.
You can still see the old track today. Two oval rows of trees in the park trace its outline. The little sledding hill came later, built from soil dug up to make the tennis courts. And the Ann Arbor Senior Center is in the park's old horse barn, which volunteers renovated in the 1960s.
The school has a history of its own. Its building opened in 1925 as Tappan Junior High and became Burns Park Elementary in 1951.
Burns Park homes
Burns Park homes have the character of an older Ann Arbor neighborhood, with homes set close together on smaller lots. Many are around 100 years old, and no two have been cared for or updated in quite the same way.
A 100-year-old home brings character, and it also brings questions about what has been updated. When we look at one together, I'll point out what's been done and what to check. Before the inspection, I explain what to focus on: safety, structural issues, and foundation issues. Read more about buying a home in Burns Park.
Getting around from Burns Park
The shops and restaurants on Packard Street are a short walk from Burns Park. From some parts of the neighborhood, you can also walk downtown. If a daily walk downtown matters to you, we'll focus on the streets closest to it.
The trade-off, and how I help
The main trade-off in Burns Park is space. Lots are smaller, and homes sit closer together than in some other Ann Arbor neighborhoods. If you want a bigger yard, we'll compare Burns Park with neighborhoods that offer more land.
When you sell here, your price comes from the homes that sold nearby, and we set it together. The photos and video show your home's character, and a paid social media campaign puts it in front of buyers in and around Ann Arbor. See selling your home in Burns Park or what your Burns Park home is worth.
If you're buying or selling here, call me or send a note. You can also compare it with Ann Arbor Hills or read my guide to Ann Arbor neighborhoods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Burns Park really a racetrack?
Yes. It was the Washtenaw County fairgrounds, with a half-mile oval horse racing track. Two oval rows of trees in the park still trace the old track.
What's in Burns Park itself?
A 15-acre city park with ball fields, a playground, a basketball court, tennis and pickleball courts, a pétanque court, a shelter, and picnic tables. The Ann Arbor Senior Center is in the park's old horse barn.
Can you walk to Packard Street from Burns Park?
Yes. The shops and restaurants on Packard, including Argus Farm Stop, are a short walk away.
How old are Burns Park homes?
Many are around 100 years old, on smaller lots set close together.
The method
How we do it in Burns Park
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