Almaden Valley, San Jose
Almaden Valley | |
---|---|
Neighborhood of San Jose | |
Almaden Lake Park. | |
Almaden Valley Location within San Jose and Silicon Valley | |
Coordinates: 37°13′17″N 121°51′44″W / 37.2214°N 121.8622°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Santa Clara |
City | San Jose |
Zip Code | 95120 |
Almaden Valley, or simply Almaden is a valley and primarily upper middle class residential neighborhood of San Jose, California, in South San Jose.[1][2]
History
It is named after the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines, which were named after the mercury mine in (old) Almadén, Spain, and produced mercury that was used to process ore during the Gold Rush.[3]
Like its Spanish namesake, California's Almaden had a number of quicksilver mines. The mercury was used during gold extraction in the California Gold Rush, but the mines were closed in 1975 and have been converted into Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Despite the closure of the mines, there still remains a high mercury content in the nearby soil, creeks and rivers, and signs are posted alongside them warning people not to eat the fish. Many of the names in Almaden retain their mercury mine themes. For example, there are streets called Silver Lode Lane and Silver Mine Drive (the latter of which was renamed). Also, many places in Almaden still use the name Quicksilver.
Geography
The neighborhood is south east of the town of Los Gatos, west of the Santa Teresa neighborhood of San Jose and south of Blossom Hill Rd. The informal borders are generally Blossom Hill Rd. at the northern end, McKean Rd. at the southern end, where the valley becomes mostly rural, and the town of Los Gatos to the west. The valley is located between the Santa Teresa Hills and the Santa Cruz Mountains, with Mount Umunhum to the west dominating the local geography.
Economy
As part of the Silicon Valley, the main industry in the neighborhood is now high technology research and development; IBM Almaden Research Center is located there.[4]
Demographics
The neighborhoods consist of primarily upper-middle-class families, with homes owned by local professionals, scientists, professional athletes, and Silicon Valley executives. According to a 2011 estimate, the median income for a household in Almaden was $148,801 and the median income for a family was $182,981. The cost of a home in the neighborhood is generally in the $1 million-plus range.[5]
Schools
Schools in the area include: [6]
High Schools
Middle Schools
- Almaden Country School
- Bret Harte Middle School
- Castillero Middle School
- Holy Spirit School
Elementary Schools
- Almaden Country School
- Almaden Elementary School
- Challenger School
- Graystone Elementary School
- Holy Spirit School
- Los Alamitos Elementary School
- Simonds Elementary School
- Williams Elementary School
Recreation
One of the key attractions of the Almaden Valley is the abundance of public recreational sites.
- Almaden Lake Park
- Almaden Reservoir
- Almaden Quicksilver County Park
- Calero Dam and Reservoir
- Almaden Community Center and Library
Health & Fitness
- Almaden Golf & Country Club
- Almaden Swim and Racquet Club
- Almaden Valley Athletic Club
Transportation
- Almaden (VTA) light rail station
References
- ↑ "MyAlmadenValley Website". Archived from the original on 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ↑ Almaden Valley Community Association (AVCA) Website
- ↑ AVCA About Almaden Valley
- ↑ IBM Almaden Research Center
- ↑ Census Data for 95120
- ↑ AVCA List Of Schools
External links
Coordinates: 37°13′17″N 121°51′44″W / 37.2214°N 121.8622°W