Mountain View

 

In the heart of the Silicon Valley tech corridor, advances in science and technology made in Mountain View have contributed tremendously to the modern world. With Google located in the city on a sprawling campus, Mountain View can boast being a historic city with designs on the future. As a hub for Silicon Valley workers, it retains a rich and diverse heritage. Los Altos nestles against Mountain View in the foothills and provides a more natural refuge from the hustle of modern life.

 

Most of the area which is now Mountain View was first settled when the Mexican government granted the land to the Castro family in 1842, providing the name for the street that serves as the main avenue downtown. The city itself began as a stagecoach stop along the Peninsula on what is now El Camino Real. In 1864, the railway between San Jose and San Francisco opened, with a stop in Mountain View, creating a regional hub for shipping and population in the Castro Street area and sparking the growth of the city, which incorporated in 1902. Henry Rengstorff operated one of the busiest shipping ports on the west coast on the bay in the area which is now Shoreline Park and Moffett Field.

 

The transition to urbanization from orchards began in earnest when the Navy built Moffett Field in 1932. Initially built to house the dirigibles of the day (for which the iconic giant hangars were built), Moffett Field served as a training and coastal patrol hub through its closure in 1994. With the advanced aeronautical research done there by NACA then NASA at the Ames Research Center, the area has always been on the leading edge of aviation, missile, and space technology. At the edge of Moffett Field, known as the "Blue Cube," Onizuka Air Force Station was a major asset in the advancement of satellite technology. While Google now leases most of the former airbase, NASA still conducts important research at the facility.

 

With the influence of Stanford University and the presence of technological research centered around Moffett Field, Mountain View served as one of the hubs which sparked the technological revolution and created the Silicon Valley tech industry. Today, Mountain View has become a mixture of the technology industry and a home for its workers. With a guaranteed large tax base because of the presence of the Googleplex campus, the city is one of the best-funded municipalities in the state. People who live in Mountain View have easy access to any corporation in Silicon Valley, with two major freeways and the major artery known as El Camino Real. As well, Caltrain runs through a major station, providing commuting access from San Jose to San Francisco.

 

Modern Mountain View is a city of parks, with over twenty available to get out and about. Hosting the Shoreline Amphitheater, the city also has its share of entertainment at home, as well as access to the unparalleled wealth of regional events, entertainment, and sports. With its moderate weather, the city remains a healthy haven for those who work creating the new future while embracing the need to conserve our environment.

 

Educational opportunities in Mountain View abound, with a solid public school system and access to lauded community colleges and major public and private universities. With so many high-tech workers, Mountain View residents tend to be higher-information and in tune with the world.

 

With the high-tech pull from all over the world, Mountain View is a truly diverse community, which is echoed in its wide range of dining and shopping options. With world-class hospitals and health care systems, the city also provides a strong social framework for its residents. In 2018, CareerBliss named Mountain View #1 on its list of Happiest Places to Work.

 

As a foundation for the innovation which has become synonymous with Silicon Valley, Mountain View continues to look to the future while providing a happy home for its residents.

 

 

• https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/library/services/mvhistory/default.asp
• https://www.mountainview.gov/about/history.asp
• https://mountainviewhistorical.org/history-timeline-of-mountain-view-california/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Altos,_California
• https://www.losaltoshistory.org/about/mission/fun-facts/