The Cats Have It: Los Gatos
One of Santa Clara County’s oldest communities, Los Gatos was named after the concentration of mountain lions in the region, referred to as “La Rinconada de Los Gatos” which means, essentially, “The Cat’s Corner.” The town was initially settled in 1868 and officially incorporated in 1887. In 1890, the town could only boast approximately 1,500 residents.
Hemmed in on the north by the home of the NHL Sharks, San Jose, and the last stop of the BART line, Campbell, Los Gatos is poised to inherit a larger share of the renown of Silicon Valley. Nestled 60 miles south of San Francisco, on the outskirts of the Santa Clara Valley, Los Gatos has been considered something of a suburb for its neighbor to the north, San Jose. Despite the significance of Palo Alto or Cupertino, Netflix has put Los Gatos on the map.
Los Gatos is infused with a number of lush parks, denser tree lines, and more moist conditions than its baked neighbors to the north. The town encompasses the terrain between the Santa Clara Valley and the hillside of the Sierra Azules. Comparisons between the verdant areas of Marin County and Los Gatos abound.
Today, the town has a population of approximately 35,000 residents. The town is experiencing phenomenal growth, especially given the success off such entertainment and gaming giants as Netflix and Cryptic Studios. It is a flourishing member of the so-called Silicon Valley.
Once the center for the wheat, milling, logging, and canning industries in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Los Gatos is slowly becoming an emerging high tech hub. Furthermore, Los Gatos is becoming a popular tourist destination. It boasts one of the best-preserved, most picturesque downtown areas in all of California. The intersection of cafe culture and rural attractions has lured its fair share of tourists from San Francisco and San Jose.