Santa Clara has to be one of the best cities in America to live, work and raise a family.
Due to the foresight and vision of great city employees and pragmatic councils, we have wonderful infrastructure. Streets, roads, parks, senior services, youth activities, our own power company and Levi’s Stadium, are just a sampling of the jewel called Santa Clara.
Some of the old timers in town have noticed a lot of changes over the years. Most of these changes have been the natural process of growth. It wasn’t that long ago that former Owens-Corning built their plant out in the ‘country.’
Memorex was in its golden years shattering glass (in its ads) with the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald recorded on Memorex audio tape.
It was a nostalgic moment when Cliff Hunter sold his pear orchard on the north side of 101 and it was, in turn, sold to a developer by the name of Fess Parker.
Fess was a TV star who played in the long-running series Daniel Boone.
Parker also proposed a theme park to the city, which later opened as Great America.
It was also the transition from an agricultural community to Silicon Valley with its diversified economy of technology, research, entertainment, manufacturing, and corporate world headquarters.
Not unlike our past, Santa Clara is continuing in transition.
The orchards are gone from our city, replaced by housing, offices, plants, schools, theatres, colleges, an amusement park and a professional football stadium.
As we have watched the transition of our economy, it is apparent that many manufacturing jobs have left Santa Clara, and like the orchards, never to return.
There was a time when working on buggies was a great profession. Then along came the automobile and even the best buggy designers, repairmen and manufactures were replaced simply by lack of demand.
Men and women working in the buggy industry were challenged to reinvent their skills and many became mechanics, service station operators, part suppliers, tire dealers, transmission specialists, along with so many ancillary opportunities.
Santa Clara has a resilient list of citizens who have adapted and adopted new ways.
Cliff Hunter, after selling his pear orchard, founded Hunter Technology and became one of the leading manufacturers of printed circuit boards for the “new” economy.
History is full of stories of nations and communities that have tried to go back to the old ways, only to meet with disappointment and despair.
The natural process of life is to grow. When any person, community or business stops growing, they become stagnant. Couch potato pop, pothole problems, and sagging sales are bi-products of stagnation.
When stagnation triumphs, it leads to an inevitable unpleasant ending!
Congratulations to our city staff and city council who have given Santa Clara an opportunity to change and grow again with the times.
It is most fortuitous that we are the benefactors of created opportunity.
Santa Clara will continue to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Other Milestones:
Milestones – Much to be Grateful for – Opinion
Milestones – Great Living! – Opinion