There is a small town in the county of Santa Clara, known as Los Gatos. Los Gatos means, “The cats” in Spanish. This town is about 60 miles south of San Francisco and is at the base of Sierra Azules. It is also in the southwestern point where the lower slopes of Santa Cruz Mountains meet the Santa Clara Valley. The city of San Jose is to the north and east of this town, while on the west there is Saratoga and Monte Sereno cities. Over and above, the town of Los Gatos is strategically located and will give you access to most attractions in Silicon Valley.
Origin and Development of Los Gatos
Los Gatos is one of the oldest communities in Santa Clara County. The Mexican government issues a land patent to Jose Hernandez and Sebastian Peralta, in 1840. This was for a rancho, which was 6,600 acres and this was the starting point of Los Gatos. In the beginning, this town was known as La Rinconada de Los Gatos, which means Cat’s Corner, this derived its name as a result of the screams of the mountain lions that were prowling at night. In 1868, 100 acres of the rancho was marked out as the town site and it was incorporated in 1887.
By 1963, when the General Plan was adopted, the town has expanded its territories to 4,000 acres and has a population of 11,750. When the General Plan was revised in 1971, it had grown to cover about 9 square miles and the population was over 24, 350. The population, today, is above 30,000 and there has been significant growth of the town, since the time it was incorporated. The demographics have really changed over the years.
Self-contained Town
Los Gatos takes pride in being a self-contained town, which has over 3,000 businesses and companies. These businesses have become a great attraction for most visitors, while they still serve the needs of the residents. There pedestrian oriented downtown has a number of restaurants, shops and hotels, among other businesses. This is a diverse town as it has a mix of people of all ages, incomes and family sizes. There a number of greenbelt areas and parks in Los Gatos and also has a vibrant downtown area. In fact, the Downtown Los Gatos is on the National Register of Historic Places list and is set as a model for what communities ought to be.
http://brotherandbrotherremodeling.com/Santa-Clara
Leave A Comment