Benicia in Solano County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Playground of Dreams

Built by volunteers, April 29 to May 3, 1992

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 25, 2025

1. Playground of Dreams Marker

Inscription. The "Playground of Dreams" began in the imaginations of Benicia's children and became reality because volunteers gave their time to built it. Hundreds of children drew pictures, wrote stories and met with architect Robert Leathers in November 1991 to tell him what they wanted in their dream playground. He took their ideas and created the plan for our unique structure. A core group of volunteers, including about 100 children, spent months preparing for construction. Benicia's generous community spirit was evident with every donation. Construction began early in the morning of Wednesday, April 29, 1992. The field was bare when the first volunteers stepped on the site. Five days later, thousands of children and parents swarmed onto the structure to play for the first time.

On behalf of the children who come here to laugh and run and swing and climb, thank you to all who worked on the playground, who gave money, food, or materials, who loaned tools, served food or cared for children.

Dr. Seuss Circle
Adobe • BankAmerica Foundation • Bay Video Productions Inc. • City of Benicia • Benicia Import Auto Services • BFI -

Paid Advertisement

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Pleasant Hill Bayshore Disposal • Big 4 Rents • Mike, Eileen & Jasmine Boardman • Calistoga Mineral Water Co. • Citibank • Cresco Equipment Rentals • Del Monte Foods • Dole Packaged Foods • Kurt, Donna, Matt & Katie Dunlap • Steve & Shelly Dupuis Family • Herman Goelitz Inc/JellyBelly • Roger, CeCe, Glenn & Jeff Grubbs • HFW • Hundai Enterprises (Carl's Jr./Vallejo) • North Bay Construction Inc. • North Coast Mechanical • O'Brien Rental Services • Mark Overacker • Pacific Bell • Pepsi-Cola • Pfister Excavating • George, Beverly, Jaime & Glen Phillips • Ryno Computer Systems • Security Pacific Bank • Jerry & Carmen Slack • Southampton Homes • Syar Industries Inc. • Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. • T & R Construction • Veterans Memorial Building • Jim Welsh Trucking

Wizard of Oz Circle
Affordable Quality Cabinets • BHS ASB & BHS Athletics • Best Western Heritage Inn • Burger King/Benicia • California National Guard • Clark Cadman Inc. • Clemintina Equipment Rentals • Cornnuts Inc. • Cullen Engineering Associates • The Firpo Family • Home Depot Inc. • NorcalElectric Supply • Pacifica Pizza/Benicia • Pinole Valley Trucking Inc. • Round Table

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 25, 2025

2. Playground of Dreams Marker

Pizza of Benicia • 7-Eleven Stores • Sorrento Cheese Co. Inc. • Valley Rubber & Gasket • Alan Volz

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is April 29, 1992.

Location. 38° 3.223′ N, 122° 9.446′ W. Marker is in Benicia, California, in Solano County. It is on West K Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101-199 W K Street, Benicia CA 94510, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the San Francisco Bay Area,

in the Sacramento Valley,

and specifically in the Central Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Site of the First Protestant Church in California (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Benicia Seminary

Playground of Dreams image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 25, 2025

3. Playground of Dreams

(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); World War I Memorial (about 300 feet away); BDES Hall (about 500 feet away); First Masonic Hall Built in California (about 500 feet away); Norman V. Gonsalves, Sr. (about 500 feet away); 1854 – Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church – 1954 (about 700 feet away); Saint Paul's Episcopal Church (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Benicia.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 25, 2025

4. Playground of Dreams

Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 13, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.