San Jose, California

History and Naming - San Jose is named after el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, the city's predecessor. - The spelling of the city's name was officially changed to San Jose in 1943. - In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a movement to return to the original spelling of San José. - The city adopted a flag featuring the inscription SAN JOSÉ, CALIFORNIA in 1969. - The spelling of the city's name was officially changed to San José on April 3, 1979. - San Jose was founded on November 29, 1777, as the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. - It became a part of Mexico in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence. - Following the American Conquest of California, it was ceded to the United States in 1848. - San Jose was designated as the state's first capital after California achieved statehood. - The city experienced rapid population growth and urbanization in the 1950s and 1960s. Pre-colonial and Spanish Period - San Jose has been home to the Tamien group of the Ohlone people since around 4,000 BC. - The Tamien people were forcibly enslaved and converted to Catholicism at Spanish missions. - Mission Santa Clara de Asís and Mission San José played a significant role in the lives of the Tamien people. - Many Tamien people died from disease or as a result of state-sponsored genocide. - Some surviving Tamien families migrated to Santa Cruz after losing their ancestral lands. - California was claimed as part of the Spanish Empire in 1542 by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. - Alta California and the Baja California peninsula were administered together as Province of the Californias. - The Californias remained a distant frontier region largely controlled by Native Nations. - San Jose was part of the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe during the Spanish period. - The city had a series of pre-statehood mayors during this time. Notable Features and Economic Growth - San Jose is the largest city in Northern California by both population and area. - It is the most populous city in the Bay Area and the San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland Combined Statistical Area. - Major global tech companies like Cisco Systems, eBay, and Adobe Inc. have headquarters in San Jose. - San Jose has one of the highest GDP per capita and is one of the wealthiest major cities in the world. - The city is known for its cultural diversity, affluence, and sunny Mediterranean climate. - San Jose is known as the capital of Silicon Valley. - The city is home to numerous technology companies and startups. - San Jose surpassed San Francisco as the most populous city in the Bay Area in 1990. - The city experienced significant housing-cost increase, with a 936% rise between 1976 and 2001. - San Jose has a political propensity toward Smart Growth planning principles, with a majority of housing built since 2000 being multifamily structures. Geography and Climate - San Jose is located within the Santa Clara Valley in Northern California. - The city is situated in the southern part of the Bay Area. - San Jose touches San Francisco Bay at Alviso. - The city has a total area of 180.0 sqmi (466km²), making it the fourth-largest city in California by land area. - San Jose lies between the San Andreas Fault and the Calaveras Fault. - San Jose experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. - The city has an average of 298 days of sunshine per year. - San Jose is somewhat sheltered from rain due to its inland location and surrounding mountains. - The annual mean temperature in San Jose is 60.5°F (15.8°C). - San Jose has a mean annual rainfall of 15.82in or 401.8mm. Parks and Recreation - San Jose has about 15,950 acres (6,455ha) of parkland. - Alum Rock Park is the city's oldest park, established in 1872. - San Jose ranks 11th in park system quality among the 50 most populous U.S. cities. - Other notable parks include Almaden Quicksilver County Park, Emma Prusch Farm Park, and Kelley Park. - San Jose Municipal Rose Garden is a 5+12 acres (22,000m) park in San Jose.