History
Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a
land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land
here.
The parcel of land was originally part of the Brookside subdivision that was developed in 1952. You won't find a "brook" at Brookside Park, but nearby Mallett's Creek runs along the southeast corner of the neighborhood. A
1947 aerial photo shows mostly farmland in this area. Current parkland is highlighted in blue and current property lines are drawn over the land. The Brookside Subdivision and Park were registered by deed in Pittsfield Township, Washtenaw County in October, 1951. An aerial photograph of the Brookside subdivision in development in 1952 can be found
here. Brookside Park became part of the City of Ann Arbor in 2005 when the land was purchased from Pittsfield Charter Township. The play area and the split rail fence were added in 2006.
