Beginning with a 1776 expedition to establish a fort on the San Francisco Bay, priest and cartographer, Pedro Font, gave the name Arroyo San Jose de Cupertino to the stream that is known today as Stevens Creek. After the Mexican-American war, a settlement called West Side was created, but because neighboring towns already had the same name, it was decided that the town would seek its Spanish roots and be christened Cupertino.
As with much of Silicon Valley, Cupertino began its life as a small town surrounded by a series of orchards, varying from French prune, peach, apricot, cherry, plum, walnut, and almond. The abundance of blossoms was so spectacular that people began making extended trips to the area to view the “Valley of Heart’s Delight,” as it was known. Over time, the town flourished and expanded into the city. De Anza College opened in the mid-1960s, and a decade later, Apple arrived, bringing with it a powerhouse of technology and innovation, forever changing Cupertino’s landscape.
Standing proudly in the heart of Silicon Valley, Cupertino celebrates an extremely diverse and educated demographic, as well as its affluence. Based on the 2010 US Census, over 96 percent are high school graduates and over 74 percent have bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Many high-tech, semi-conductor, and computer companies were founded in Cupertino, but Apple has risen to create a modern complex circled by the Infinite Loop. The “spaceship-like” Campus 2 is nearly complete, and can host more than 12,000 employees. Meanwhile, other tech giants like Chordiant, Cloud, Packeteer, Seagate Technology, and Trend Micro have also established their headquarters here.
Cupertino has come so far from its origin, and thanks to all of the ingenuity, technology, and bright minds it has attracted, it isn’t finished growing yet.
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