San Jose, Calif.
| Mayor: Chuck Reed (to Nov. 2014) City Manager: Debra Figone 2010 census population (rank): 945,942 (10); Male: 475,668 (50.3%); Female: 470,274 (49.7%); White: 404,437 (42.8%); Black: 30,242 (3.2%); American Indian and Alaska Native: 8,297 (0.9%); Asian: 303,138 (32.0%); Other race: 148,749 (15.7%); Two or more races: 47,062 (5.0%); Hispanic/Latino: 313,636 (33.2%). 2010 percent population 18 and over: 75.2%; 65 and over: 10.1%; Median age: 35.2. 2014 population estimate (rank): 1,015,785 (10) Land area: 175 sq mi. (453 sq km); Alt.: Highest, 4,372 ft.; lowest, sea level Avg. daily temp.: Jan., 49.4° F; July, 69.5° F Churches: 403; City-owned parks and playgrounds: 152 (3,136 ac.); Radio stations: 14; Television stations: 4 Civilian Labor Force (PMSA) April 2015: 1,051,4001; Unemployed (April 2015): 41,4001, Percent (April 2015): 3.91; Per capita personal income 2013: $34,025 Chamber of Commerce: San Jose Chamber of Commerce, 310 S. First St., San Jose, CA 95113 1. San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, Calif. |
San Jose, the third-largest city in California and seat of Santa Clara County, is located in the northern part of the state in the Santa Clara Valley, 50 mi south of downtown San Francisco.
San Jose was founded on Nov. 29, 1777, by Spanish colonizers who named the settlement Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe in honor of Saint Joseph and after the Guadalupe River on which the pueblo (town) was situated. San Jose was the first city to be established in California.
After California became a U.S. territory in 1847, San Jose was the state capital from 1849 to 1852 and was incorporated as a city in 1850. It developed commercially as a supply base for gold prospectors and, when the railroad connected it with San Francisco in 1864, it became the distribution point for agricultural products from the Santa Clara Valley.
Today, the city continues to be the distribution and food-processing center for the surrounding rich agricultural region, which produces seasonal fruits and grapes. More than 50 wineries grace the valley.
San Jose is the capital of Silicon (Santa Clara) Valley, where many high-tech companies are located. The area is also one of the world's leading centers for medical treatment and research. Heart transplants, gene splicing, and transportable baby incubators were developed there.
San Jose has healthy retail, transportation, and tourism industries and is the primary center for real estate and industrial development in the area. Also, in a ranking of America's safest cities in 2011, San Jose came in at number six.
See also Encyclopedia: San Jose.
Selected famous natives and residents:
- “Fatty” Arbuckle actor;
- Cesar Chavez labor leader;
- Peggy Fleming figure skater;
- Farley Granger actor;
- Edmund Lowe actor;
- Jim Plunkett football player.
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