Santa Clara
For thousands of years, what we now know as Santa Clara, California was home to the indigenous tribe Tamien of the Ohlone nation. The first European to discover the city was Jose Francisco Ortega, who set foot in the city in 1769. Almost eight years later, in 1777, Mission Santa Clara de Asis was founded as one of California’s 21 missions. In 1847, the Battle of Santa Clara took place between the Mexicans and American troops, who were trying to claim the city. The battle ended with the Mexicans retreating from the area.
Before being incorporated as a town in 1852, Santa Clara became home to Santa Clara College in 1851, which was built on the grounds of Mission Santa Clara de Asis. The college later became Santa Clara University in 1855, becoming the oldest institution of higher education in California. For years, the city thrived on agriculture but shifted slowly throughout the years into becoming one of the tech titans of NorCal.
Despite being a tech hub and home to some of the biggest companies in the world, this quaint city in Northern California still oozes history. Visiting the museums of Santa Clara tells tons about where this unique city began and how it got to be the “Entertainment Center of Silicon Valley”. If you’re a history buff, a quick day trip from San Francisco to Santa Clara is a must.