National Register Listings in
Santa Clara County, California

Agnews Insane Asylum Ainsley, John Colpitts, House No. 3 Allen, Theophilus, House Alviso Historic District Alviso, Jose Maria, Adobe Ames Administration Building Arc Jet Complex Ashworth-Remillard House Building at 27-29 Fountain Alley Campbell Union Grammar School Campbell Union High School Historic District Christian Church of Gilroy Civic Art Gallery De Anza Hotel de Lemos, Pedro, House Dohrmann Building Downing, T. B., House Dunker House East San Jose Carnegie Library Fairglen Additions (Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3) First Unitarian Universalist Church Flight And Guidance Simulation Laboratory Forbes Mill Annex Fraternal Hall Building Free, Arthur Monroe, House Galindo-Leigh House Gilroy Free Library Gilroy Southern Pacific Railroad Depot Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs Green Gables Greenmeadow Griffin, Willard, House and Carriage House Hakone Historic District Hamilton, Capt. James A., House Hanna-Honeycomb House Hayes Mansion Hensley Historic District Hewlett-Packard House and Garage Highway 152 Tree Row Holloway, Edgar, House Hoover, Lou Henry, House Hostess House Hotel Montgomery Hotel Sainte Claire Hutton, Warner, House Kee House Landrum, Andrew J., House Lantarnam Hall Le Petit Trianon Leib Carriage House Lick, James, Mill Live Oak Creamery Los Gatos Historic Commercial District MacFarland House Malaguerra Winery Masson, Paul, Mountain Winery McCullagh-Jones House Messina Orchard Miller Red Barn Miller-Melone Ranch Milpitas Grammar School Moir Building Morse, Charles Copeland, House Mountain View Adobe NASA Ames Wind Tunnel Historic District New Almaden Norris House Norris, Frank, Cabin Old City Hall Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission Chapel (1953-1960) Palo Alto Medical Clinic Palo Alto Southern Pacific Railroad Depot Palo Alto Stock Farm Horse Barn Peralta, Luis Maria, Adobe Picchetti Brothers Winery Pomeroy Green Professorville Historic District Ramona Street Architectural District Rengstorff, Henry A., House Renzel, Ernest & Emily, House Rhoades Ranch Roberto-Sunol Adobe Roma Bakery Ross House San Jose Central Fire Station San Jose Downtown Historic District Santa Clara Depot Santa Clara Verein Saratoga Foothill Club Saratoga Village Library Shoup, Paul, House Southern Pacific Depot Spillman Engineering 3-Abreast Carousel Squire, John Adam, House St. James Square Historic District St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church Steinbeck, John, House Troy Laundry Twohy Building U.S. Post Office Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel US Naval Air Station Sunnyvale, California, Historic District Villa Mira Monte Villa Montalvo We and Our Neighbors Clubhouse Welch-Hurst Wheeler Hospital Wilson House Winchester House Woman's Club of Palo Alto Woodhills Young, Earl and Virginia, House Yung See San Fong House Zschokke, Theodore, Cottages
California was the site of the nation's first successful oil well in 1892. The well was drilled in the city of Los Angeles and produced about 25 barrels of oil a day. Today, California remains a major oil-producing state.
California random facts
Santa Clara County, located in California's Silicon Valley, has a rich and diverse history that stretches back thousands of years. The region was originally inhabited by the Ohlone Native Americans, who lived along the coast and in the Santa Clara Valley, practicing a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and utilizing the area's abundant resources.

The arrival of Spanish explorers in the late 18th century brought significant changes to the region. In 1777, the Mission Santa Clara de Asís was established as part of the Spanish mission system. The mission played a central role in the development of the area, introducing agriculture, European-style architecture, and Christianity. The mission's influence extended to the establishment of Santa Clara College, now known as Santa Clara University, in 1851.

The California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century had a profound impact on Santa Clara County. The discovery of gold in nearby areas brought a flood of prospectors to the region, leading to a rapid population increase. The county experienced an economic boom as a result, with agriculture, particularly fruit orchards and vineyards, becoming a significant industry.

By the late 20th century, Santa Clara County had transformed into an economic powerhouse, earning the moniker "Silicon Valley." The invention of the microchip and the subsequent growth of the technology industry in the 1960s and 1970s laid the foundation for the region's high-tech success. Companies like Intel, Apple, and Google established their headquarters in Santa Clara County, fueling innovation and leading to advancements in computer technology and electronics.

Today, Santa Clara County continues to be at the forefront of technological advancements, with numerous tech companies, research institutions, and startups calling the region home. Despite the modernization and urban development, the county still retains its natural beauty, with its diverse landscapes, such as the Santa Cruz Mountains and the picturesque coastline, providing a backdrop to its ever-evolving history.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Santa Clara County, California.

  • 1770 - Spanish explorer, Gaspar de Portolá, discovers the Santa Clara Valley
  • 1777 - The Mission Santa Clara de Asís is established
  • 1822 - Mexico gains independence from Spain, and Santa Clara County becomes part of Mexico
  • 1846 - The Bear Flag Revolt takes place in California, and Santa Clara County becomes part of the United States
  • 1850 - California becomes a state, and Santa Clara County is officially recognized
  • 1851 - San Jose becomes the first incorporated city in the county
  • 1861 - Construction of the western portion of the First Transcontinental Telegraph line is completed, passing through Santa Clara County
  • 1871 - Leland Stanford, one of the "Big Four" railroad tycoons, founds Stanford University in Santa Clara County
  • 1941 - Moffett Federal Airfield is built by the U.S. Navy in Santa Clara County
  • 1955 - The first high-tech company, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, is established in Santa Clara County, leading to the area becoming known as Silicon Valley