San Jose (California)

I

Introduction

San Jose (California), city at the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Santa Clara County, California. One of the largest cities in population in the United States, San Jose lays claim to being the capital of Silicon Valley, a nickname for a swath of communities engaged in high-technology research and manufacturing.

The city is in the Santa Clara Valley, with the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Diablo Range to the east. The center of the city is 17 km (11 mi) from the marshy shore of San Francisco Bay. San Jose enjoys a mild climate year round, with an average of 300 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation averages 380 mm (15 in), with most of it falling from November through March. In January the average high temperature is 14°C (58°F) and the average low 5°C (41°F); in July the temperature averages a high of 28°C (82°F) and a low of 14°C (57°F).

San Jose was founded along the banks of the Guadalupe River in 1777 as the first civil settlement in Spanish California. The settlement was called El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, named for Saint Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary.

II

San Jose and its Metropolitan Area

The city of San Jose covers a land area of 443.4 sq km (171.2 sq mi). Its metropolitan region encompasses all of Santa Clara County, with a land area of 3,344.2 sq km (1,291.2 sq mi), and includes such municipalities as Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.

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Downtown San Jose experienced a renaissance in the 1980s through an investment of $1.5 billion in public and private funds. The cornerstone of this massive revitalization venture is the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, completed in 1989. Circling the downtown area is a light-rail transit system, connecting outlying areas with city-center restaurants, nightlife venues, and shopping. Sycamore trees shade the new downtown transit mall, complete with decorative fountains and antique street lights. Just to the north of the convention center is the Plaza de Cesar Chavez (formerly City Plaza Park), part of the plaza originally created when the city was founded and the site of frequent community events. Near the plaza stand the San Jose Museum of Art and historic St. Joseph Cathedral, noted for its murals and stained-glass windows. Four blocks east is San Jose State University, distinguished by its ivy-covered campus tower. Several blocks north is St. James Park and the Hensley Historic District, featuring an extensive collection of restored Victorian homes.

III

Population

The population of the city of San Jose has grown at a remarkable rate in recent years. Newcomers are attracted to the city because of its climate and economic opportunities, and the city has placed highly on national rankings of the best places to live. The population of San Jose increased from 628,283 in 1980 to 894,943 in 2000. In 2005, its population was estimated at 912,332.

According to the 2000 census, whites represented 47.5 percent of the city’s population, Asians 26.9 percent, blacks 3.5 percent, Native Americans 0.8 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.4 percent. People of mixed heritage or not reporting race were 21 percent of the population. Hispanics, who may be of any race, made up 30.2 percent of the people.

The San Jose metropolitan area also has continued to grow, but at a somewhat more moderate rate. Its population rose from 1,295,071 in 1980 to 1,754,988 in 2005.

IV

Educational and Cultural Institutions

Metropolitan San Jose is one of the most highly educated areas in the country. San Jose State University, founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in the state. Also located within the city limits are San Jose City College (1921) and Evergreen Valley College (1975). Well-regarded schools in the region include Stanford University (1885) and the Santa Clara University (1851).

Among the prominent cultural institutions in the city is the San Jose Museum of Art, displaying the works of 20th-century painters, sculptors, and photographers. The Tech Museum of Innovation features technological marvels from Silicon Valley and explains how technology affects everyday life, while the Children’s Discovery Museum explores the arts, humanities, sciences, and technology with hands-on exhibits. In Kelley Park the San Jose Historical Museum is in 21 fully restored and original Victorian buildings depicting home and work at the beginning of the 20th century; the Japanese Friendship Garden and Teahouse is also in the park. The Egyptian Museum holds an extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts, maintained by a branch of the Rosicrucian fraternal order with its world headquarters in San Jose. The American Museum of Quilts and Textiles promotes the art, craft, and history of quilts. One of the most popular attractions in the city is the Winchester Mystery House, a bizarrely constructed Victorian mansion designed, so its owner thought, to fool evil spirits. The Lick Observatory overlooks the Santa Clara Valley from Mount Hamilton to the east of the city.

San Jose has a rich selection of performing arts, including the San Jose Repertory Theatre, the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Opera San Jose, Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley, and the Margaret Wingrove Dance Company. Annual events include the San Jose Jazz Festival in August and the San Jose Film Festival, beginning in January. The city has numerous community festivals throughout the year, many celebrating ethnic themes.