Los Gatos, California
Encyclopedia
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California
, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area
at the southwest corner of San Jose
in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains
. Homes are mostly upscale, varying from century-old one million-dollar cottage
s in the downtown area to 10–20 million-dollar large custom homes in the surrounding hills. The town is noted for its small, pedestrian-friendly downtown, with many boutique shops, upscale restaurants, and thriving arts community. It is also a preferred destination for antique shopping.
land-grant that encompassed the area, which was called La Rinconada de Los Gatos
, ("Cat's Corner"), where "the cats" refers to the cougars that are indigenous
to the foothills in which the town is located. The name has been anglicized to lɔːs ˈɡætəs , although one also hears pronunciations truer to the original Spanish, loʊsˈɡɑːtoʊs .
, by James Alexander Forbes along Los Gatos Creek. The mill's two-story stone storage annex has been preserved as a museum just off of Main Street.
The settlement that was established in the 1860s was originally named for the mill, but the name was changed to Los Gatos after the Spanish land grant. The town was incorporated in 1887 and remained an important town for the logging industry in the Santa Cruz Mountains
through the end of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, the town became a thriving agricultural town with apricot
s, grape
s and prunes being grown in the area. By the 1920s the Los Gatos area had a local reputation as an arts colony, attracting painters, musicians, writers, actors and their bohemian associates as residents over the years. The violinist Yehudi Menuhim lived there as a boy; the actresses Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland (sisters) were graduates of Los Gatos High School, John Steinbeck wrote Grapes of Wrath there, and Beat hero Neal Cassady lived there in the 1950s. Along with much of the Santa Clara Valley
, Los Gatos became a suburban community for San Jose
beginning in the 1950s, and the town was mostly built-out by the 1980s.
Downtown Los Gatos has retained and restored many of its Victorian
-era homes and commercial buildings. Other notable buildings are the Forbes Mill
annex, dating to 1880 and now housing a history museum; Los Gatos High School
which dates from the 1920s; and the Old Town Shopping Center, formerly the University Avenue School (the school was established in 1882; the current buildings date to 1923).
A number of brick buildings in Downtown Los Gatos were destroyed or seriously damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, though the district was quickly rebuilt and has made a full recovery.
, a popular narrow-gauge line from Alameda
(and San Francisco via ferry) to Santa Cruz
in the late 19th century, stopped in Los Gatos. http://www.spcrr.org/HistorySPCRR.htm Southern Pacific took over this line in 1887. Los Gatos was also near the Southern Pacific resort town of Holy City, along the rail line in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The last Southern Pacific passenger train to Santa Cruz left Los Gatos in March 1940. In town, the rail line used to run along the shore of Vasona Reservoir to the present-day location of the Post Office, following the path of what is now a continuous string of parking lots between Santa Cruz Ave. and University Ave. There was also a streetcar-type rail line with service to Saratoga and San Jose. Streetcar service via the Peninsular Railway started about 1905 and ended about 1933. San Francisco commuter trains continued into downtown until 1959, and Vasona Junction until 1964. The site of the old railroad station is now occupied by Town Plaza and the Post Office.
State Route 85
roughly marks the northern boundary of the town, although a few pockets of homes to its North are included. Highway 9
(Los Gatos-Saratoga Road) from the coast terminates at Highway 17. Downtown Los Gatos, the area on and around Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street, is located in the southwest quadrant of town. A left exit on northbound Highway 17 becomes the south end of South Santa Cruz Avenue, leading into downtown. The area around Los Gatos Boulevard, east of Highway 17, is much more typically suburban than downtown, with medium-sized shopping centers clustered at major intersections of the multilane boulevard. Although the town has generally a quiet setting, its principal noise
generators are State Route 17 and Los Gatos Boulevard. Sound levels within one hundred and fifty feet of Los Gatos Boulevard exceed 60 CNEL (Community Noise Equivalent Level), a generally unacceptable range for residential living.
Vasona Park
, a county park, and neighboring Oak Meadow Park, which belongs to the town, are located in what is roughly the geographic middle of the town, bordered on the south by Blossom Hill Road, on the east by Highway 17, on the west by University Avenue, and reaching at the north end not quite all the way to Lark Avenue. Located in the parks is the popular William "Billy" Jones Wildcat Railroad. In Vasona Park is the trail to Prune Ridge. Los Gatos Creek begins in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of the town and runs through the town parallel to Highway 17 all the way through neighboring Campbell
and San Jose to the Guadalupe River
, which flows into San Francisco Bay. A walking, jogging, and biking trail called the Los Gatos Creek Trail
runs alongside much of the creek from Lexington Dam through Vasona Park and Campbell to Meridian Avenue in San Jose
. In Los Gatos, the trail passes the 1854 Forbes Mill
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km²). 11.1 square miles (28.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.71%) is water.
Los Gatos is surrounded by several mountain bike
trails. Cyclists can leave from downtown on a 20 miles (32.2 km) loop through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Road cycling is also popular. Downtown is often crowded with cyclists on weekend mornings. From downtown, El Sereno mountain stands to the southwest; El Sombroso stands to the southeast. The El Sereno Open Space Preserve
and the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
open the top and upper flanks of each of these mountains to hiking and cycling.
like much of California. January's average high is 63 °F (17.2 °C) and the low is 43 °F (6.1 °C) while July's average high is 86 °F (30 °C) and low is 57 °F (13.9 °C). Los Gatos has a Zone 10 hardiness zone
. Daytime high temperatures very rarely stay below 50 °F (10 °C). Los Gatos rarely gets a hard frost
. Los Gatos gets the slight winter chill that is needed to grow grape
s and have vineyard
s. Certain types of banana
s (the types that ripen in three months) grow well during the summer.
The record high temperature was 114 °F (45.6 °C) on June 14, 1961, and the record low temperature was 19 °F (-7.2 °C) on January 22, 1990. There are an average of 27.0 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 5.0 days annually with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. Rainfall averages 21.2 inches annually and falls on an average of 59 days annually. The wettest year was 1909 with 51.77 inches and the driest year was 2007 with 9.47 inches (240.5 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 26.56 inches in December 1955 and the most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.48 inches on December 23, 1955. Although snow sometimes falls in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains, it is very rare in Los Gatos. The most snow on record was 2.0 inches in February 1976. Los Gatos averages 330 sunny days per year.
was 2,635.7 people per square mile (1,017.6/km²). The racial makeup of Los Gatos was 24,060 (81.8%) White, 269 (0.9%) African American, 86 (0.3%) Native American, 3,203 (10.9%) Asian, 52 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 462 (1.6%) from other races
, and 1,281 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,120 persons (7.2%).
The Census reported that 29,063 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 92 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 258 (0.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 12,355 households, out of which 3,775 (30.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,417 (51.9%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 949 (7.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 435 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 551 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 84 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,695 households (29.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,464 (11.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35. There were 7,801 families
(63.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.96.
The population was spread out with 6,567 people (22.3%) under the age of 18, 1,442 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 6,722 people (22.9%) aged 25 to 44, 9,417 people (32.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,265 people (17.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
There were 13,050 housing units at an average density of 1,169.4 per square mile (451.5/km²), of which 7,778 (63.0%) were owner-occupied, and 4,577 (37.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%. 19,901 people (67.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,162 people (31.1%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 28,592 people, 11,988 households, and 7,300 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,030.8/km² (2,669.1/mi²). There were 12,367 housing units at an average density of 445.8/km² (1,154.5/mi²). The ethnic makeup of the town was 86.68% Caucasian, 0.79% African American, 0.30% Native American, 7.60% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races
, and 3.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.21% of the population.
There were 11,988 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $94,319, and the median income for a family was $119,194. Males had a median income of $89,420 versus $57,596 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $56,094. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $126,568, and the median income for a family was $152,940. Males had a median income of $89,420 versus $57,596 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $56,094. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
In the state legislature
, Los Gatos is located in the 15th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Sam Blakeslee
, and in the 21st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat
Rich Gordon
. Federally, Los Gatos is located in California's 15th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +14 and is represented by Democrat Mike Honda
.
, (Valley Transit Authority) which also serves the majority of the county of Santa Clara, including San Jose.
The two Los Gatos Community Buses run from Santa Cruz and Main to the Winchester Transit Center, the 49 via Los Gatos Boulevard and the 48 via Winchester.
For railroad transportation the nearby city of Santa Clara
has the closest train station served by Caltrain
, and nearby in the city of Campbell
provides access to VTA light-rail via the Winchester
, Downtown Campbell
, and Hamilton
stations.
For air travel, the closest international airports are San Jose International Airport
(SJC), San Francisco International Airport
(SFO), and Oakland International Airport
. All these airports are used for air travel by people across the Bay Area.
has its headquarters in Los Gatos.
Los Gatos Public Library (not part of the Santa Clara County Library system)
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
at the southwest corner of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
. Homes are mostly upscale, varying from century-old one million-dollar cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s in the downtown area to 10–20 million-dollar large custom homes in the surrounding hills. The town is noted for its small, pedestrian-friendly downtown, with many boutique shops, upscale restaurants, and thriving arts community. It is also a preferred destination for antique shopping.
Etymology
The name Los Gatos is Spanish, meaning the cats. The name derives from the 1839 Alta CaliforniaAlta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
land-grant that encompassed the area, which was called La Rinconada de Los Gatos
Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos
El Rancho Rinconada de los Gatos was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Clara County, California made in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. Located in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, the grant included present day Los Gatos and Monte...
, ("Cat's Corner"), where "the cats" refers to the cougars that are indigenous
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the foothills in which the town is located. The name has been anglicized to lɔːs ˈɡætəs , although one also hears pronunciations truer to the original Spanish, loʊsˈɡɑːtoʊs .
Overview
The town's founding dates to the mid-1850s with the building of a flour operation, Forbes MillForbes Mill
Forbes Mill is a now-defunct flour mill originally built in 1854 located in Los Gatos, California, which now serves as a museum after having been saved from destruction in 1982. The mill is the first commercial building to be established in the city of Los Gatos...
, by James Alexander Forbes along Los Gatos Creek. The mill's two-story stone storage annex has been preserved as a museum just off of Main Street.
The settlement that was established in the 1860s was originally named for the mill, but the name was changed to Los Gatos after the Spanish land grant. The town was incorporated in 1887 and remained an important town for the logging industry in the Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
through the end of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, the town became a thriving agricultural town with apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
s, grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s and prunes being grown in the area. By the 1920s the Los Gatos area had a local reputation as an arts colony, attracting painters, musicians, writers, actors and their bohemian associates as residents over the years. The violinist Yehudi Menuhim lived there as a boy; the actresses Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland (sisters) were graduates of Los Gatos High School, John Steinbeck wrote Grapes of Wrath there, and Beat hero Neal Cassady lived there in the 1950s. Along with much of the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
, Los Gatos became a suburban community for San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
beginning in the 1950s, and the town was mostly built-out by the 1980s.
Downtown Los Gatos has retained and restored many of its Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
-era homes and commercial buildings. Other notable buildings are the Forbes Mill
Forbes Mill
Forbes Mill is a now-defunct flour mill originally built in 1854 located in Los Gatos, California, which now serves as a museum after having been saved from destruction in 1982. The mill is the first commercial building to be established in the city of Los Gatos...
annex, dating to 1880 and now housing a history museum; Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos High School is a high school in Los Gatos, California, a small town near San Jose in the Silicon Valley. Los Gatos High School was founded in 1908 and is part of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District...
which dates from the 1920s; and the Old Town Shopping Center, formerly the University Avenue School (the school was established in 1882; the current buildings date to 1923).
A number of brick buildings in Downtown Los Gatos were destroyed or seriously damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, though the district was quickly rebuilt and has made a full recovery.
Rail transportation
Transport by rail was an early feature of Los Gatos. The South Pacific Coast RailroadSouth Pacific Coast Railroad
The South Pacific Coast Railroad was a narrow gauge steam railroad running between Santa Cruz, California and Alameda, with a ferry connection in Alameda to San Francisco. The railroad was created as the Santa Clara Valley Railroad, founded by local strawberry growers as a way to get their crops...
, a popular narrow-gauge line from Alameda
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
(and San Francisco via ferry) to Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
in the late 19th century, stopped in Los Gatos. http://www.spcrr.org/HistorySPCRR.htm Southern Pacific took over this line in 1887. Los Gatos was also near the Southern Pacific resort town of Holy City, along the rail line in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The last Southern Pacific passenger train to Santa Cruz left Los Gatos in March 1940. In town, the rail line used to run along the shore of Vasona Reservoir to the present-day location of the Post Office, following the path of what is now a continuous string of parking lots between Santa Cruz Ave. and University Ave. There was also a streetcar-type rail line with service to Saratoga and San Jose. Streetcar service via the Peninsular Railway started about 1905 and ended about 1933. San Francisco commuter trains continued into downtown until 1959, and Vasona Junction until 1964. The site of the old railroad station is now occupied by Town Plaza and the Post Office.
Geography and environment
Los Gatos is located at 37°14′10"N 121°57′42"W (37.236044, −121.961768). Los Gatos is bisected by State Route 17, which runs through the town from south to north.State Route 85
California State Route 85
State Route 85 is a freeway which connects Mountain View and southern San Jose. The entire freeway is named the West Valley Freeway. The majority of the route is also named the Norman Y. Mineta Highway, with the exception of the portion of Highway 85 passing through Saratoga which is named the CHP...
roughly marks the northern boundary of the town, although a few pockets of homes to its North are included. Highway 9
California State Route 9
State Route 9 is mainly a rural and mountainous route in the U.S. state of California that travels 35 miles from SR 1 near Santa Cruz to SR 17 in Los Gatos, passing through the San Lorenzo Valley and the Saratoga Gap...
(Los Gatos-Saratoga Road) from the coast terminates at Highway 17. Downtown Los Gatos, the area on and around Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street, is located in the southwest quadrant of town. A left exit on northbound Highway 17 becomes the south end of South Santa Cruz Avenue, leading into downtown. The area around Los Gatos Boulevard, east of Highway 17, is much more typically suburban than downtown, with medium-sized shopping centers clustered at major intersections of the multilane boulevard. Although the town has generally a quiet setting, its principal noise
Roadway noise
Roadway noise is the collective sound energy emanating from motor vehicles. In the USA it contributes more to environmental noise exposure than any other noise source, and is constituted chiefly of engine, tire, aerodynamic and braking elements...
generators are State Route 17 and Los Gatos Boulevard. Sound levels within one hundred and fifty feet of Los Gatos Boulevard exceed 60 CNEL (Community Noise Equivalent Level), a generally unacceptable range for residential living.
Vasona Park
Vasona Park
Vasona Park, formerly Vasona Lake County Park, is a park located in Los Gatos, California and part of the Santa Clara County Parks system. Adjacent Oak Meadow Park is owned by the Town of Los Gatos. Vasona Park surrounds Vasona Reservoir, which, like Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos' southern edge,...
, a county park, and neighboring Oak Meadow Park, which belongs to the town, are located in what is roughly the geographic middle of the town, bordered on the south by Blossom Hill Road, on the east by Highway 17, on the west by University Avenue, and reaching at the north end not quite all the way to Lark Avenue. Located in the parks is the popular William "Billy" Jones Wildcat Railroad. In Vasona Park is the trail to Prune Ridge. Los Gatos Creek begins in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of the town and runs through the town parallel to Highway 17 all the way through neighboring Campbell
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
and San Jose to the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (California)
The Guadalupe River is a short river in California whose headwater creeks originate in the Santa Cruz Mountains near the summit of Loma Prieta and Mount Umunhum. The river mainstem now begins on the Santa Clara Valley floor at the northern end of Lake Almaden, which is fed by Los Alamitos Creek and...
, which flows into San Francisco Bay. A walking, jogging, and biking trail called the Los Gatos Creek Trail
Los Gatos Creek Trail
The Los Gatos Creek Trail is a 9.7-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail that runs through western Santa Clara County in California, from Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos, California through Campbell, California to Meridian Avenue in San Jose, California alongside Los Gatos Creek...
runs alongside much of the creek from Lexington Dam through Vasona Park and Campbell to Meridian Avenue in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. In Los Gatos, the trail passes the 1854 Forbes Mill
Forbes Mill
Forbes Mill is a now-defunct flour mill originally built in 1854 located in Los Gatos, California, which now serves as a museum after having been saved from destruction in 1982. The mill is the first commercial building to be established in the city of Los Gatos...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km²). 11.1 square miles (28.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.71%) is water.
Los Gatos is surrounded by several mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
trails. Cyclists can leave from downtown on a 20 miles (32.2 km) loop through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Road cycling is also popular. Downtown is often crowded with cyclists on weekend mornings. From downtown, El Sereno mountain stands to the southwest; El Sombroso stands to the southeast. The El Sereno Open Space Preserve
El Sereno Open Space Preserve
El Sereno Open Space Preserve is a park unit of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District located on the peak and slopes of 2249 ft. El Sereno mountain, a peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The preserve is located in Santa Clara County, California....
and the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve is managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in Santa Clara County, California. It's approximately in area. The park features the Sierra Azul range's peaks of Mount Umunhum, Mount Thayer, and El Sombroso...
open the top and upper flanks of each of these mountains to hiking and cycling.
Climate
Los Gatos experiences nearly the same temperatures as San Jose, just slightly warmer and with more rain. Los Gatos has a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
like much of California. January's average high is 63 °F (17.2 °C) and the low is 43 °F (6.1 °C) while July's average high is 86 °F (30 °C) and low is 57 °F (13.9 °C). Los Gatos has a Zone 10 hardiness zone
Hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, as defined by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone...
. Daytime high temperatures very rarely stay below 50 °F (10 °C). Los Gatos rarely gets a hard frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
. Los Gatos gets the slight winter chill that is needed to grow grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s and have vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s. Certain types of banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s (the types that ripen in three months) grow well during the summer.
The record high temperature was 114 °F (45.6 °C) on June 14, 1961, and the record low temperature was 19 °F (-7.2 °C) on January 22, 1990. There are an average of 27.0 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 5.0 days annually with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. Rainfall averages 21.2 inches annually and falls on an average of 59 days annually. The wettest year was 1909 with 51.77 inches and the driest year was 2007 with 9.47 inches (240.5 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 26.56 inches in December 1955 and the most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.48 inches on December 23, 1955. Although snow sometimes falls in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains, it is very rare in Los Gatos. The most snow on record was 2.0 inches in February 1976. Los Gatos averages 330 sunny days per year.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Los Gatos had a population of 29,413. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,635.7 people per square mile (1,017.6/km²). The racial makeup of Los Gatos was 24,060 (81.8%) White, 269 (0.9%) African American, 86 (0.3%) Native American, 3,203 (10.9%) Asian, 52 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 462 (1.6%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1,281 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,120 persons (7.2%).
The Census reported that 29,063 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 92 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 258 (0.9%) were institutionalized.
There were 12,355 households, out of which 3,775 (30.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,417 (51.9%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 949 (7.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 435 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 551 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 84 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,695 households (29.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,464 (11.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35. There were 7,801 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(63.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.96.
The population was spread out with 6,567 people (22.3%) under the age of 18, 1,442 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 6,722 people (22.9%) aged 25 to 44, 9,417 people (32.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,265 people (17.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
There were 13,050 housing units at an average density of 1,169.4 per square mile (451.5/km²), of which 7,778 (63.0%) were owner-occupied, and 4,577 (37.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%. 19,901 people (67.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,162 people (31.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 28,592 people, 11,988 households, and 7,300 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,030.8/km² (2,669.1/mi²). There were 12,367 housing units at an average density of 445.8/km² (1,154.5/mi²). The ethnic makeup of the town was 86.68% Caucasian, 0.79% African American, 0.30% Native American, 7.60% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.21% of the population.
There were 11,988 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $94,319, and the median income for a family was $119,194. Males had a median income of $89,420 versus $57,596 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $56,094. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $126,568, and the median income for a family was $152,940. Males had a median income of $89,420 versus $57,596 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $56,094. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
The town is governed by five elected council members with the position of Mayor rotating between council members each year. Half the council is elected to a four-year term every two years. There are no term limits for the Town Council.In the state legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
, Los Gatos is located in the 15th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Sam Blakeslee
Sam Blakeslee
Samuel Norman Blakeslee is a Republican California State Senator representing California's 15th State Senate district, a former California State Assemblyman from California's 33rd State Assembly district, and a former State Assembly Republican Leader...
, and in the 21st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Rich Gordon
Rich Gordon
Richard S. Gordon is an American politician from Menlo Park, California who currently serves in the California State Assembly representing the 21st district...
. Federally, Los Gatos is located in California's 15th congressional district
California's 15th congressional district
California's 15th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Santa Clara County west of San Jose and includes the cities of Los Gatos and Cupertino in Silicon Valley...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +14 and is represented by Democrat Mike Honda
Mike Honda
Michael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
.
Economy
The following companies are headquartered in Los Gatos:- BuongiornoBuongiornoBuongiorno is an Italian company that provides content for mobile phones. also known as Good morning.In 2006 the group Buongiorno delivered almost 1.4 billion "digital objects" to over 60 million end users In 2007, Buongiorno acquired South African mobile content provider...
- Cryptic StudiosCryptic StudiosCryptic Studios, a wholly owned Perfect World subsidiary, is a small American massively multiplayer online role-playing game developer headquartered in Los Gatos, California.-History:...
- ImagicImagicImagic was a short-lived American video game developer and publisher that developed games for the Atari 2600, Intellivision and other video game consoles in the early 1980s...
(now defunct) - NetflixNetflixNetflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
- ImageShackImageShackImageShack is a free image hosting website. ImageShack has a subscription service but the majority of its revenue is produced from advertising related to its free image hosting. The imageshack.us Alexa ranking in September 25, 2007 was one of the top 40, but now as of September 25, 2011 it's...
Top employers
According to the Town's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission Oaks Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital (San Jose) Good Samaritan Hospital is an acute care hospital in San Jose, California. It contains centers for treatment of stroke and chest pain, as well as a large maternity ward... |
2,000 |
| 2 | El Camino Hospital Los Gatos El Camino Hospital El Camino Hospital is a 395-bed hospital based in Mountain View, California.Located on a campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, El Camino Hospital serves residents in the El Camino Hospital District — Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and portions of Sunnyvale and Palo Alto — as... |
730 |
| 3 | Los Gatos Union School District Los Gatos Union School District The Los Gatos Union School District is a school district in Los Gatos, California, USA. It operates the following schools:Note: Based on 2002-2003 school year data-External links:*... |
300 |
| 4 | Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District The Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District is a high school district in the greater San Jose, California, USA area. It operates two high schools :Note: Based on 2002-2003 school year data.... |
300 |
| 5 | Netflix Netflix Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California... |
280 |
| 6 | Safeway Safeway Inc. Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern... |
175 (Est.--Only 2 of 3 stores operating currently) |
| 7 | Alain Pinel Realtors | 220 |
| 8 | Verizon | 200 |
| 9 | Courtside Club | 200 |
| 10 | Town of Los Gatos | 135 |
| 11 | Los Gatos Meadows | 130 |
Transportation
The town of Los Gatos is served by the VTAVTA
-Canada:* Vancouver Traffic Authority, a department within the Vancouver Police Department responsible for directing traffic and enforcing traffic-related laws.- Other :* Visual flight rules terminal area charts, a term used in aviation...
, (Valley Transit Authority) which also serves the majority of the county of Santa Clara, including San Jose.
The two Los Gatos Community Buses run from Santa Cruz and Main to the Winchester Transit Center, the 49 via Los Gatos Boulevard and the 48 via Winchester.
For railroad transportation the nearby city of Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
has the closest train station served by Caltrain
Caltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
, and nearby in the city of Campbell
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
provides access to VTA light-rail via the Winchester
Winchester (VTA)
Winchester Transit Center is a light rail station and park-and-ride lot operated by Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in Campbell, California. Winchester is the southern terminus of the Mountain View–Winchester light rail line.-History:...
, Downtown Campbell
Downtown Campbell (VTA)
Downtown Campbell is a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail station, located in downtown Campbell. Downtown Campbell station contains one island platform, and marks the beginning of a double-track section which continues to the end of line, Winchester station in western Campbell...
, and Hamilton
Hamilton (VTA)
Hamilton is a light rail station operated by Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . Hamilton is served by the Mountain View–Winchester light rail line. The station has a single track used by trains traveling in both directions...
stations.
For air travel, the closest international airports are San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
(SJC), San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
(SFO), and Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport , also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is a public airport located south of the central business district of Oakland, a city in Alameda County, California, United States...
. All these airports are used for air travel by people across the Bay Area.
Notable past and current residents
- Jared AllenJared Allen-Kansas City Chiefs:Allen was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and signed for a one-year, $100,000 contract. On May 21, 2007, Allen, as a restricted free agent, signed the Chiefs' one-year tender offer of $2.35 million for the 2007 season. Allen credited his early...
– NFL player currently with the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... - A. J. AllmendingerA. J. AllmendingerAllmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
– Race car driver - Mark BinghamMark BinghamMark Kendall Bingham was an American public relations executive who founded his own company, the Bingham Group. During the September 11 attacks in 2001 he was a passenger on board United Airlines Flight 93...
and Todd BeamerTodd BeamerLisa Beamer was born on april 10, 1969 in Albany, New york.Lisa Beamer is the widow of Todd Beamer, a victim of the United Flight 93 crash as part of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
, passengers of United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
on 9/11September 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
believed to have stormed the cockpit after its hijacking - Rob BlakeRob BlakeRobert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
– San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player - Jeff BlauserJeff BlauserJeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...
– former Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
shortstop - Kari ByronKari ByronKari Elizabeth Byron is a San Francisco-based television host and artist, best known for her featured role on the Discovery Channel show MythBusters.-MythBusters:...
– Artist and television personality - Jeff GeorgeJeff GeorgeJeffrey Scott "Jeff" George is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft...
– NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Program Director / Engineer - Joe CannonJoe Cannon (soccer)Joe Cannon is an American soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
– San Jose EarthquakesSan Jose EarthquakesThe San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
player - Hal ChaseHal ChaseHarold Homer Chase , nicknamed "Prince Hal", was a first baseman in Major League Baseball, widely viewed as the best fielder at his position...
– Early 20th century baseball star (born in Los Gatos) - Gary Dahl – Inventor of the Pet RockPet rockPet Rocks were a 1970s fad conceived in Los Gatos, California by advertising executive Gary Dahl.-Development:In April 1975, Dahl was in a bar listening to his friends complain about their pets. This gave him the idea for the perfect "pet": a rock...
- Olivia de HavillandOlivia de HavillandOlivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
– Actress – Sister of Joan FontaineJoan FontaineJoan de Beauvoir de Havilland , known professionally as Joan Fontaine, is a British American actress. She and her elder sister Olivia de Havilland are two of the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.... - Eric DrewEric DrewEric Drew is one of the first adults in the US to survive a double cord blood stem cells transplant for "terminal leukemia". Drew is noted for having his identity stolen during his treatment. While undergoing treatment for a rare and virulent leukemia, his identity was stolen by a medical worker...
-Speaker, Author and Consumer Advocate - Aaron EckhartAaron EckhartAaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
, actor (grew up in Los Gatos) - Trent EdwardsTrent EdwardsTrent Edwards is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
– NFL quarterback - Peggy FlemingPeggy FlemingPeggy Gail Fleming is an American figure skater. She is the 1968 Olympic Champion in Ladies' singles and a three-time World Champion...
– OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Gold MedalistGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
figure skater - Joan FontaineJoan FontaineJoan de Beauvoir de Havilland , known professionally as Joan Fontaine, is a British American actress. She and her elder sister Olivia de Havilland are two of the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s....
– Actress – Sister of Olivia de HavillandOlivia de HavillandOlivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland... - Dany HeatleyDany HeatleyDaniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
– San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player - Tim Hunter – Former NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
forward, assistant coach, San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Joe KappJoe KappJoseph Robert Kapp is a former professional American and Canadian football quarterback. He is also a former college football head coach of the University of California, and a former general manager of the CFL's BC Lions. Kapp played primarily with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and the CFL's BC Lions...
– Former professional football player - Victor KomanVictor KomanVictor Koman is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and agorist. A three time winner of the Prometheus Award, Koman is mainly popular in the libertarian community. He is the owner of the publishing house ....
- science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writer and publisher - Patrick MarleauPatrick MarleauPatrick Denis Marleau is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He serves as the alternate captain for the Sharks during home games...
– San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player - Yehudi MenuhinYehudi MenuhinYehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
– violinist - Marshall MerrittMarshall MerrittMarshall Everett Merritt was an American artist. An impressionist painter, he specialized in seascapes, particularly oil depictions of the California coast. He also painted many landscapes, portraits and still lifes....
– Artist - Richard Thacker MorrisRichard Thacker MorrisRichard Thacker Morris was a professor of Sociology at the University of California at Los Angeles. He was the author of The Two-Way Mirror: National Status in Foreign Students' Adjustment , as well as The White Reaction Study , an important work on urban race relations.-Academic career:Dr. Morris...
- chairman of the sociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
department of UCLA - Ryan NyquistRyan NyquistRyan Nyquist is a professional BMX rider who has won numerous gold medals in the X Games Dirt Jumping & Bike Park events. He currently rides for Haro Bikes, Osiris Shoes, Rockstar Energy Drink, and The Jiffy Market of Los Gatos.Ryan returned to San Jose, California where he has a home with his...
– Professional BMX rider - Kenny OrtegaKenny OrtegaKenneth John "Kenny" Ortega is an American producer, director, and choreographer. He is known for directing the High School Musical trilogy and Michael Jackson's This Is It concert tour.-Life and career:...
– Director, Choreographer - Steve PoiznerSteve PoiznerStephen Leo "Steve" Poizner is an American businessman/entrepreneur and conservative Republican politician, who was elected State Insurance Commissioner of California in November 2006, and concluded the 4 year term in January 2011...
– State Insurance Commissioner of California, candidate for Governor of California - Jeremy RoenickJeremy RoenickJeremy Shaffer "J.R." Roenick is a former American professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League . He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks over the course of his 18 NHL...
– Former San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player - Rudy RuckerRudy RuckerRudolf von Bitter Rucker is an American mathematician, computer scientist, science fiction author, and philosopher, and is one of the founders of the cyberpunk literary movement. The author of both fiction and non-fiction, he is best known for the novels in the Ware Tetralogy, the first two of...
– Author - Josh ShippJosh ShippJosh Shipp is an American teen behavior expert, motivational speaker, author, and TV show host. Josh began professionally speaking at age 17. He was president of Oklahoma DECA in High school. Starting in 2005, he was selected as a spokesperson for National Foster Care Month...
– TV Host and author - John SteinbeckJohn SteinbeckJohn Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
– Acclaimed author, resident for several years - Scott Stillinger – Inventor of the Koosh ballKoosh ballThe Koosh ball is a toy ball made of rubber filaments attached to a soft rubber core. It was developed in 1986 by Scott Stillinger to be easy for his 5-year old daughter and 8-year old son to hold and throw, and was named after the sound it made when it landed. Stillinger started OddzOn Products...
- Joe ThorntonJoe ThorntonJoseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
– San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player - Charlie WedemeyerCharlie WedemeyerCharlie Wedemeyer was a high school teacher and football coach, famous for continuing to teach and coach after contracting Lou Gehrig’s disease. He died on June 3, 2010, from pneumonia, a complication caused by a recent surgery. He was 64 years old.Charlie was the last of nine children born to...
– Inspiring coach - Doug WilsonDouglas Wilson (hockey player)Douglas Frederick Wilson is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and the current general manager of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
– Executive Vice President and General Manager, San Jose Sharks - Charles Erskine Scott WoodCharles Erskine Scott WoodCharles Erskine Scott Wood was an author, civil libertarian, soldier, and attorney. He is best known as the author of the 1927 satirical bestseller, Heavenly Discourse.-Early life:...
– Author, civil libertarian, soldier, and attorney - Steve WozniakSteve WozniakStephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer and programmer who founded Apple Computer, Co. with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne...
– Apple ComputerApple ComputerApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
co-founder - DredgDredgDredg is an American rock group formed in 1993 in Los Gatos, California. The band consists of vocalist Gavin Hayes, guitarist Mark Engles, bassist Drew Roulette and drummer Dino Campanella....
- A band formed in Los Gatos, CA
Sister cities
Los Gatos has five official sister cities:- Jhonghe City
Jhonghe CityZhonghe District , historically spelled Chung-Ho, is a district in New Taipei in northern Taiwan . Zhonghe is a burgeoning satellite city of Taipei.-Geography and climate:...
, Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) - Liaoyang
LiaoyangLiaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....
, People's Republic of China - Listowel, Co. Kerry, Ireland
- Tallinn
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia - Zihuatanejo
ZihuatanejoZihuatanejo or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Politically the city belongs to the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta in the western part of Guerrero, but both are commonly referred to as Zihuatanejo...
, Mexico
Public schools
- Lakeside Joint School District
- Lakeside Elementary School (website)
- Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District (website)
-
- Provides enrichment courses for homeschooled children in grades K-8.
- Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School DistrictLos Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School DistrictThe Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District is a high school district in the greater San Jose, California, USA area. It operates two high schools :Note: Based on 2002-2003 school year data....
(website)- Los Gatos High SchoolLos Gatos High SchoolLos Gatos High School is a high school in Los Gatos, California, a small town near San Jose in the Silicon Valley. Los Gatos High School was founded in 1908 and is part of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District...
(website)
- Los Gatos High School
- Los Gatos Union School DistrictLos Gatos Union School DistrictThe Los Gatos Union School District is a school district in Los Gatos, California, USA. It operates the following schools:Note: Based on 2002-2003 school year data-External links:*...
(website) - Union School DistrictUnion School District, San JoseThe Union School District operates six elementary schools and two middle schools in the greater San Jose, California, USA area. The district serves 4400 students...
- Alta Vista Elementary School
- Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
- Provides enrichment courses for homeschooled children in grades K-8.
Private schools
- Catholic
- St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Elementary School (website)
- Christian
- Los Gatos Christian Junior High School
- Los Gatos Christian School
- Jewish
- Yavneh Day School (website)
- Secular
- Hillbrook SchoolHillbrook SchoolFounded in 1935, Hillbrook School is an independent accredited coeducational JK-8 day school in Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, California. Hillbrook, originally known as the Children's Country School, began in a modest, two-story house in Monte Sereno, but soon moved to the Colonel James "Happy"...
(website) - Los Gatos Academy Preschool (website)
- Los Gatos Parent Nursery School (website)
- Mulberry SchoolMulberry SchoolMulberry School is an independent, nonsectarian, coeducational, private day school founded in 1963 by members of the American Association of University Women and created to include parents as active participants in their child’s education. Initially a one-room parent cooperative nursery school,...
(website) - Stratford School (website)
- Hillbrook School
Public libraries
The Santa Clara County LibrarySanta Clara County Library
The Santa Clara County Library is a public library system headquartered in Los Gatos, California. The library serves the communities and cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and all unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County...
has its headquarters in Los Gatos.
Los Gatos Public Library (not part of the Santa Clara County Library system)