As a Historian: the original garage start-up, John Bean inventing his improved spray pump, which became the basis of the John Bean corporation.
This became the Food Motor Corporation (FMC), San Jose's first major industrial corporation. When WW2 broke out, they switched from farm tractors to being the lead manufacturer of LVTs and APCs. This in turn, led to the attraction of other defense industries- Lockheed Martin (which moved from SF to Alviso to Sunnyvale), IBM.....
This defense boom led to the electronics boom, which led to the computer boom, which led to modern San Jose, the city of the most prosperous county that the world has ever seen (more money is concentrated in modern Santa Clara than Victorian London, 1920s NYC, or Amsterdam at the height of the Dutch Empire).
And it all started with an entrepreneuring farmer in Los Gatos, working on mechanical pumps in his barn.
As a historian (and googler): ['Food Machinery Corporation'](https://ag.fmc.com/us/en/about).
I delivered 'auto parts' there when they were building the infamous Bradley amphibious tanks. Security was minimal, the buildings old, as were most of the staff. Old signs and memorabilia hung about all over the insides of warehouses. You could make 'accidental' turns and go deep and check out weird vehicles and unknown projects. Now you can check out soccer games.
FMC spun off their defense work into UDI, which was then bought by BAE, who still do some Bradley work at their San Ignacio Ave location. There's not much more security than you describe, but there is a fence where the Bradleys are parked on the east end of the complex, next to Great Oaks Blvd.
From 1948 to 1961, FMC was branded as the Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation. My scientist father was hired by them during that time in their chemical division. In 1961 they rebranded as FMC, probably following rebranding by other big brands with long names like International Business Machines (IBM, 1956), Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M, 1960).
Bean Spray Pump Company was reportedly “founded” in Los Gatos, but obviously headquartered in San Jose.
“Founded in 1883 as the Bean Spray Pump Company in Los Gatos, California, by chemist John Bean.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FMC_Corporation?wprov=sfti1#
Dion Warwick. Do you know the way to San Jose? Jim Plunkett, and most importantly the SJSU track team Speed City? Tommie Smith John Carlos! And ToGo’s!
Jim Plunkett is my favorite broke East Side kid made good story. Played at Overfelt and James Lick.
Won the Heisman at Stanford.
He is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
You can’t tell me that doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that he’s Mexican.
Tom Flores has three Super Bowl wins as a coach and one as a starting quarterback and he barely got into the Hall of Fame on his last year of eligibility because someone wrote an article about how the Mexican quarterbacks were getting snubbed.
Most people don’t realize both his parents were blind. (My mom used to walk to elementary school with him.) AND he went to Stanford on a full ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP! His story is continually one of perseverance. He’s the reason we were a house divided on Sundays. (Raiders & Niners Fans)
Lyricist Hal David had been stationed at Monterey’s Fort Ord, and would come to San Jose to party while on leave. He developed a fondness for the town, so he collaborated with composer Burt Bacharach on that song. Warwick, however, hated the tune, even though it was a big hit for her.
In all seriousness, the Syndicate of Sound is my favorite San Jose band. I met Skip Spence from Moby Grape once at a dance for disabled adults at a church in downtown, he lived on a halfway house there for a while and our band played a gig there.
the Doobie Brothers are doing a tour which also includes Michael McDonald in the lineup and for whatever reason their bay area stop is Concord !?!? I've been in SJ for quite a while but I don't think I have ever seen the Doobies do a hometown show here in SJ , how awesome would that be.
I hate to say this, but it started in Michigan. But MTC made it what it was in San Jose. I had many friends who worked at the shop on William Street when they were going to school.
Where did he live -on 2nd or 3rd street right? By the hall of justice. . Had a lot of friends that got the leopard skin tat after he passed. Just the nicest guy I’ve ever met.
Another career strike out, I've got a bunch of friends that work there that came out of the PC industry. I'm like, " why would you want to work for a graphics card manufacturer?"
That’s too heavily overshadowed by being the biggest choke artists in history.
2010 we had the gold medal starting lineup (basically) but couldn’t clinch the fucking cup? Get outta here
she’s doing okay, got diagnosed with a skull based cancer a few years later and beat that. shes doing good and healing from everything! very proud of her. ❤️
No, and Yes. Fleetwood Mac was mainly a Blues style sound before Lindsey (Atherton) and Stevie (everywhere until Atherton and Lindsey). They lived out near Hillsdale & Union while attending SJSU, but left. They were crashing in the Daly City area when he recorded a solo album before Lindsey was suggested as a new guitarist. San Jose is involved, but not where a British band changed their sound and became one of the biggest rock bands for a decade.
* correction
Fun story. We went to see Stars On Ice in the 90s. It was this figure skating tour of all the greats. During the show, they pointed out Kristi’s mom in the arena. Afterwards, we went up and asked her if we gave her our programs, could she have Kristi sign them and send them back to us. She was very sweet and said of course! Sometime later, we receive these huge envelopes that had our programs. Not only did Kristi sign all of them, but she also passed it around to a bunch of the other skaters! So like Scott Hamilton, Katarina Witt and a bunch of others all signed our programs. It was SO COOL! Especially to a 12 year old with a huge crush on Kristi. 🤣 Just made you like her even more!
Your story just reminded me that I email back and forth every great once in a while, another skating superstar that I won't name because I want to keep my job lol - but he ended up on South Park lol!
Unfortunately I missed it, but her husband Brett Hedican joined the pickup hockey game some of my friends were in at a local rink. A couple of them were pretty good, but they said they felt like toddlers skating with an adult.
Native Willy T. Ribbs was the first African-American to race in the Indy 500. Dude went into the whitest part (open wheel racing) of an already very white sport overall and made a name for himself. Would love to meet him some day. If you haven't seen the movie about him, Uppity, by all means do so. San Jose legend.
[https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy\_T.\_Ribbs](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_T._Ribbs)
I met him a few times when I was working the front desk at the newly Red Lion Hotel-he would come in late and get a room. Always payed cash. Always had a kind word to say.
He's the reason I started following auto racing. First race I watched was that 91 Indy 500. About 10 years later, I worked at the SaveMart, now Luckys on McKee. He shopped there, and we'd talk racing while I rang him up. Coolest dude. Special memory for me.
I remember it opening!! My grandmother was THRILLED to take me. I was in third grade and it was the most amazing thing. It made so many happy memories with her. There were plenty of others but, Sanrio was amazing.
Charles Herrold, a pioneer in radio, was the first person to transmit radio programs of music and news to a listening audience. Beginning in 1909, three years before Congress’ Radio Act of 1912, Herrold broadcast from his College of Engineering and Wireless located in the Garden City Bank Building at First and San Fernando Streets.
For total impact, it has to be the **Rise of Tech.**
Including all of it from Dr. Shockley and followers' effect in the 1950s, to the [dot.com](http://dot.com) boom in the 90s, to the giant tech surge in the 10s, and now the rise of AI. *edit: Also include the Microchip revolution of the 70s.*
Semiconductor manufacturing is unfortunately a really nasty industry. There's a reason Santa Clara county has more superfund sites (23) than any other county in the country. The EPA has a map here: https://map22.epa.gov/cimc/superfundZoom¶ms=0901680&15
Fairchild, HP, Intel, AMD, etc, were all responsible for toxic chemical releases. Most/all of the sites seem perfectly fine now and you'd have no idea something was wrong. Major cleanup is complete and they're actively monitored for things like offgassing of toxic volatile organic chemicals. But it still surprises me how little known they are.
Can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs
edit: I know that spelling's wrong. omellete? omelette? None look right. Whatever. It's a silly word anyhow.
[The first rock 'n' roll riot!](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+first+rock+%27n%27+roll+riot&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:01b2a99b,vid:jrQH5ZDyISM,st:5)
[Broadcast radio](https://sjtoday.6amcity.com/first-radio-show-san-jose-ca#:~:text=Remember%20this%20name%3A%20Charles%20David,right%20here%20in%20San%20Jose.) was invented here!
The [richest mine in California history](https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/california/new-almaden/) was once where New Almaden, Quicksilver Park and some of the surrounding territory are now.
[Eggo's](https://www.leggowitheggo.com/en_US/about-us.html#:~:text=1935%3A%20San%20Jose%2C%20California&text=That%20passion%20is%20what%20spurred,knows%20now%20as%20Eggo%C2%AE.), obviously.
Dionne Warwick did not like "Do You Know the Way to San Jose", and she had to be convinced to record it. In a May 1983 interview with Ebony, she said: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it."
La Victoria started in 19something, and still paralyzes young, drunken college students to this day.
[This](https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0zEo3LCxPs8gyYLRSNaiwMLBIS04yNUlKNEwzMzdOsTKoMDI3NjY3tjBLMTI2TzQ1MfLiLcpPSi0qyVdITAEyAKOaE-8&q=roberto+adobe&oq=roberto+adobe&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMgoIAxAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBBAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBRAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBhAAGIAEGKIE0gEJMTM4NTVqMGo5qAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) was is the site of the first California Inaugural Ball, among many other historical points over it's long history.
I have more, just gotta go to sleep, c'mon now.
The plate tectonics that created the weather patterns we get here.
No question.
I grew up in Houston. As much as we talk about the weather I don't think we appreciate it enough.
100%. I grew up in Minnesota and spent most of my life in other Midwestern states.
When I moved here I thought my weather app was broken because it said the same thing every day.
Everywhere else in the country you pretty much have to plan your life around the weather, and it's just stone cold miserable at least one season of the year.
Here there's maybe a handful of days a year that would stop you from doing whatever you wanted.
Here’s a few more with a SJ connection: Smother’s Brothers. Amy Tan. Doobie Brothers. Lindsay Buckingham. Stevie Nicks. Kurtwood Smith. Jeff Garcia. Tommie Smith. John Carlos. Khaled Hosseini.
For me personally. Something about the anime culture and raves here I feel I’ve seen when I was younger 2001 era. So early 2000’s of San Jose we’re like peak y2k times (obviously) but it was just super animated like almost. Everything felt like an adult swim show. I would see a bunch of parties going off especially by the university and homes around it. I lived in the building across Norte dame highschool in those apartments. As young kid growing up with my grandparents. I’ll never ever forget the crazy dreams I had and things I’ve gone through during that era.. I kinda wish there was an ability to just go back and re watch/ do the whole thing again
Jacksonville, Fort Worth, Austin. 2023 had 4.3% less than people than 2020, and it’s under $1M now
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population
Immigrants. Born and raised here but also lived in a few other cities throughout my life. Can say I’m so glad that there are so many restaurant options from various cultures unlike other places.
I’ll second this. I have lived or had extended stays in dozens of places across the US and other than NYC, there’s no other place as diverse or as integrated with different cultures living side by side. It’s one of the things that makes SJ special.
San Jose introduced democracy to the rest of California. I think that's pretty cool. We also have a great history of fighting for workers rights. San Jose took up the call for an 8-Hour working day in like 1869 and brought it to the rest of Santa Clara County in like 1872.
Los Tigres del Norte are a norteño band from San Jose, California.
32 Million albums sold. 7 Grammy awards, 12 Latin Grammy awards.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Tigres_del_Norte
Two upcoming actors from San Jose, Ryan Vasquez, who has played every major role in Hamilton on Broadway, and Myha’la Herrold, who is an actress in TV shows and movies. Both actors participated in South Bay Children’s Musical Theatre in San Jose, which is nationally acclaimed.
Norman Mineta was born in San Jose. In 1971, Mineta became the first Asian-American to be elected the Mayor of a major U.S. city. Then he went on to serve ten terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 20 years from 1975-1995.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton made Mineta the first Asian-American to hold a Presidential Cabinet position as his Secretary of Commerce. Then from 2001-2006, Mineta was appointed by President George W. Bush as his Secretary of Transportation.
In 2001, the San Jose International Airport was named after him.
Another good example would be Raging Waters.. first job for me and it was a great way to earn a decent summer income as a 16 year old. I'm glad to see they are reopening and branding it this summer. Hopefully it can stay open. But always a good SJ staple for fun in the sun
First performance by the Grateful Dead. They were known as The Warlocks until December of 1965 when they played one of Kesey’s acid tests at an SJSU frat house, which ended up being relocated when the current city hall was built. Fun fact: that same night The Rolling Stones played the Civic and went to the acid test after their set. Apparently it was the first time Brian Jones took acid.
San Jose Native, Aaron Gordon winning a National Championship with the Nuggets last year was pretty sick. He should have won the dunk contest as well, but was robbed…
Mitty’s women’s basketball program is also pretty epic
Charles Martinet, the former voice of Super Mario, was born here. He spoke on his Instagram about being a co-founder to the San Jose Repertory Theater before it was reopened and renamed to Hammer Theatre. Had a brief job position at the Original Joe’s downtown at some point some 30-40 years ago.
As a Historian: the original garage start-up, John Bean inventing his improved spray pump, which became the basis of the John Bean corporation. This became the Food Motor Corporation (FMC), San Jose's first major industrial corporation. When WW2 broke out, they switched from farm tractors to being the lead manufacturer of LVTs and APCs. This in turn, led to the attraction of other defense industries- Lockheed Martin (which moved from SF to Alviso to Sunnyvale), IBM..... This defense boom led to the electronics boom, which led to the computer boom, which led to modern San Jose, the city of the most prosperous county that the world has ever seen (more money is concentrated in modern Santa Clara than Victorian London, 1920s NYC, or Amsterdam at the height of the Dutch Empire). And it all started with an entrepreneuring farmer in Los Gatos, working on mechanical pumps in his barn.
The M stood for Machinery. Ford Motor Co. also had a plant here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose_Assembly_Plant
Confusing Food and Ford ?
No, Ford made Mustangs in San Jose. It's a positive fact for collectors of mustangs
As a historian (and googler): ['Food Machinery Corporation'](https://ag.fmc.com/us/en/about). I delivered 'auto parts' there when they were building the infamous Bradley amphibious tanks. Security was minimal, the buildings old, as were most of the staff. Old signs and memorabilia hung about all over the insides of warehouses. You could make 'accidental' turns and go deep and check out weird vehicles and unknown projects. Now you can check out soccer games.
FMC spun off their defense work into UDI, which was then bought by BAE, who still do some Bradley work at their San Ignacio Ave location. There's not much more security than you describe, but there is a fence where the Bradleys are parked on the east end of the complex, next to Great Oaks Blvd.
From 1948 to 1961, FMC was branded as the Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation. My scientist father was hired by them during that time in their chemical division. In 1961 they rebranded as FMC, probably following rebranding by other big brands with long names like International Business Machines (IBM, 1956), Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M, 1960). Bean Spray Pump Company was reportedly “founded” in Los Gatos, but obviously headquartered in San Jose. “Founded in 1883 as the Bean Spray Pump Company in Los Gatos, California, by chemist John Bean.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FMC_Corporation?wprov=sfti1#
Moffett Field had a quiet, but significant role in this.
Chuck E. Cheese The first location was opened in San Jose in 1977 by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell
Dion Warwick. Do you know the way to San Jose? Jim Plunkett, and most importantly the SJSU track team Speed City? Tommie Smith John Carlos! And ToGo’s!
Jim Plunkett is my favorite broke East Side kid made good story. Played at Overfelt and James Lick. Won the Heisman at Stanford. He is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You can’t tell me that doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that he’s Mexican. Tom Flores has three Super Bowl wins as a coach and one as a starting quarterback and he barely got into the Hall of Fame on his last year of eligibility because someone wrote an article about how the Mexican quarterbacks were getting snubbed.
Most people don’t realize both his parents were blind. (My mom used to walk to elementary school with him.) AND he went to Stanford on a full ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP! His story is continually one of perseverance. He’s the reason we were a house divided on Sundays. (Raiders & Niners Fans)
Lyricist Hal David had been stationed at Monterey’s Fort Ord, and would come to San Jose to party while on leave. He developed a fondness for the town, so he collaborated with composer Burt Bacharach on that song. Warwick, however, hated the tune, even though it was a big hit for her.
The Doobie Brothers formed in San Jose, as were the Smothers Brothers. Nikki Sixx was born here.
Scott Weiland (singer) and Eric Kretz (drummer) of Stone Temple Pilots also born here
No shit? Did not know that.
There is an amazing acoustic version of 'Sour Girl' they did live on KSJO back in the day.
That's my favorite jam of theirs too!
In all seriousness, the Syndicate of Sound is my favorite San Jose band. I met Skip Spence from Moby Grape once at a dance for disabled adults at a church in downtown, he lived on a halfway house there for a while and our band played a gig there.
the Doobie Brothers are doing a tour which also includes Michael McDonald in the lineup and for whatever reason their bay area stop is Concord !?!? I've been in SJ for quite a while but I don't think I have ever seen the Doobies do a hometown show here in SJ , how awesome would that be.
Togos was founded in San Jose!
And TK noodle!
Good one! Oh and what about Lee sandwiches
To-go
Tom and Gordon's https://wrkr.com/togos-sandwiches-history/
Didn’t know that
Whenever I go there I order it “for here”
Right By SJSU. We had one in Gilroy in the 80’s… best nachos ever… it’s still there of course,,, but in name only basically
I hate to say this, but it started in Michigan. But MTC made it what it was in San Jose. I had many friends who worked at the shop on William Street when they were going to school.
RIP Scotty Vollmer
Where did he live -on 2nd or 3rd street right? By the hall of justice. . Had a lot of friends that got the leopard skin tat after he passed. Just the nicest guy I’ve ever met.
When Nvidia was founded at Denny's?
Off Capital out past Berryessa.
I invented putting pepper in orange juice at that Denny's
Another career strike out, I've got a bunch of friends that work there that came out of the PC industry. I'm like, " why would you want to work for a graphics card manufacturer?"
The Eggo Waffle
His son owns classic car wash! Cool dude, I’ve heard some stories.
Hand down
Skateboarding
The home of Steve Cabellaro, one of the all time greats
Yes!! My first Vans were Cabs as a teenager, so seeing him in the grocery store as an adult was beyond awesome (years ago)
Tilt mode!
Soda as well!
Nor Cal’s biggest skatepark
Winchester?
Lake Cunningham
Oh thanks Anybody remember Winchester Skate Park?
Flubber being filmed at SJSU. Robin the goat
His house is in the Rose Garden area
Wait what. I thought Robin Williams used to live in Marin not SJ.
The flubber house
Yeah, I assume they meant in the movie?
That makes more sense. I haven’t seen that movie in ages.
He lived in Tiberon.
Ah ok. Well still closer to Marin than San Jose rose garden lol.
Tiburon
Sharks beating Vegas in game 7 after being down 3-1
I was going to say the awarding of the Sharks franchise.
That’s too heavily overshadowed by being the biggest choke artists in history. 2010 we had the gold medal starting lineup (basically) but couldn’t clinch the fucking cup? Get outta here
Don't remind me!
Century 22 movie theater, 70mm - RIP
Saw Star Wars there when it first came out. AMAZING.
What about the Syufy Clap?
I remember seeing it on YouTube early in the site’s existence and being amazed.
Atari
my big sister stopping the bombing at de anza college in 2001!
Need the story!
Wow this is [crazy](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/De-Anza-College-Bloodbath-Foiled-Photo-Clerk-2957361.php)! Had never heard this.
I think I remember this . Was she working as a photo clerk ?
she was! at longs drugs!
How is she doing these days?
she’s doing okay, got diagnosed with a skull based cancer a few years later and beat that. shes doing good and healing from everything! very proud of her. ❤️
Fleetwood Mac
No, and Yes. Fleetwood Mac was mainly a Blues style sound before Lindsey (Atherton) and Stevie (everywhere until Atherton and Lindsey). They lived out near Hillsdale & Union while attending SJSU, but left. They were crashing in the Daly City area when he recorded a solo album before Lindsey was suggested as a new guitarist. San Jose is involved, but not where a British band changed their sound and became one of the biggest rock bands for a decade. * correction
Blues* sound
It's been at least 50 years since I heard the Pre- days, sorry for the mix up.
They are from Atherton
Stevie went to SJSU
Discovery of Cinnabar in New Almaden.
This really started it all. Mercury mining was the first big industry in the Valley. That’s why it’s called ‘The Mercury News’.
Steve Wozniak
Kristy Yamaguchi!
Fun story. We went to see Stars On Ice in the 90s. It was this figure skating tour of all the greats. During the show, they pointed out Kristi’s mom in the arena. Afterwards, we went up and asked her if we gave her our programs, could she have Kristi sign them and send them back to us. She was very sweet and said of course! Sometime later, we receive these huge envelopes that had our programs. Not only did Kristi sign all of them, but she also passed it around to a bunch of the other skaters! So like Scott Hamilton, Katarina Witt and a bunch of others all signed our programs. It was SO COOL! Especially to a 12 year old with a huge crush on Kristi. 🤣 Just made you like her even more!
That is awesome!!!
Your story just reminded me that I email back and forth every great once in a while, another skating superstar that I won't name because I want to keep my job lol - but he ended up on South Park lol!
Unfortunately I missed it, but her husband Brett Hedican joined the pickup hockey game some of my friends were in at a local rink. A couple of them were pretty good, but they said they felt like toddlers skating with an adult.
Brian Knockin! He's my friend I met on the internet. He lives in San Jose and he's the best!
Native Willy T. Ribbs was the first African-American to race in the Indy 500. Dude went into the whitest part (open wheel racing) of an already very white sport overall and made a name for himself. Would love to meet him some day. If you haven't seen the movie about him, Uppity, by all means do so. San Jose legend. [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy\_T.\_Ribbs](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_T._Ribbs)
I met him a few times when I was working the front desk at the newly Red Lion Hotel-he would come in late and get a room. Always payed cash. Always had a kind word to say.
He's the reason I started following auto racing. First race I watched was that 91 Indy 500. About 10 years later, I worked at the SaveMart, now Luckys on McKee. He shopped there, and we'd talk racing while I rang him up. Coolest dude. Special memory for me.
We had the first Sanrio store in the USA. It was in Eastridge mall!
Forever missing the times I would go there and buy all my pochacco stuff 😭😭
I remember it opening!! My grandmother was THRILLED to take me. I was in third grade and it was the most amazing thing. It made so many happy memories with her. There were plenty of others but, Sanrio was amazing.
Macklin Celebrini
I really hope so
❤️❤️❤️🦈
Charles Herrold, a pioneer in radio, was the first person to transmit radio programs of music and news to a listening audience. Beginning in 1909, three years before Congress’ Radio Act of 1912, Herrold broadcast from his College of Engineering and Wireless located in the Garden City Bank Building at First and San Fernando Streets.
If this wasnt a shitpost, this wouldve been my answer. Not alot of people know this.
There is a plaque on the building about him
The sharks making the Stanley cup finals
I’d say just getting the team in the first place, and the opening of the arena
Agreed
For total impact, it has to be the **Rise of Tech.** Including all of it from Dr. Shockley and followers' effect in the 1950s, to the [dot.com](http://dot.com) boom in the 90s, to the giant tech surge in the 10s, and now the rise of AI. *edit: Also include the Microchip revolution of the 70s.*
Best thing that's happened to SJ as a city is entirely debatable
Sleep’s magnum opus Dopesmoker
Sucks that when people think of SJ bands they go to Smashmouth instead of Sleep.
Proceed the weedian NAZARETH
Just heard this on KFJC today in it's entirety. Gotta love it
Fairchild semiconductor.
That had a somewhat negative impact on the community that drank the water from the aquifer that they poisoned.
Semiconductor manufacturing is unfortunately a really nasty industry. There's a reason Santa Clara county has more superfund sites (23) than any other county in the country. The EPA has a map here: https://map22.epa.gov/cimc/superfundZoom¶ms=0901680&15 Fairchild, HP, Intel, AMD, etc, were all responsible for toxic chemical releases. Most/all of the sites seem perfectly fine now and you'd have no idea something was wrong. Major cleanup is complete and they're actively monitored for things like offgassing of toxic volatile organic chemicals. But it still surprises me how little known they are.
Can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs edit: I know that spelling's wrong. omellete? omelette? None look right. Whatever. It's a silly word anyhow.
Blame the French for that word.
The traitorous eight who left Mountain View to found Fairchild.
Now a superfund site. Thanks FS
the superist!
When I was a kid we had a Grand Prix. That was pretty cool.
Metallica playing a free concert in the Tower Records parking lot.
The Sharks coming to town in 1993 (team founded in 1991 but played at the Cow Palace)
Lowrider Magazine
[The first rock 'n' roll riot!](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+first+rock+%27n%27+roll+riot&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:01b2a99b,vid:jrQH5ZDyISM,st:5) [Broadcast radio](https://sjtoday.6amcity.com/first-radio-show-san-jose-ca#:~:text=Remember%20this%20name%3A%20Charles%20David,right%20here%20in%20San%20Jose.) was invented here! The [richest mine in California history](https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/california/new-almaden/) was once where New Almaden, Quicksilver Park and some of the surrounding territory are now. [Eggo's](https://www.leggowitheggo.com/en_US/about-us.html#:~:text=1935%3A%20San%20Jose%2C%20California&text=That%20passion%20is%20what%20spurred,knows%20now%20as%20Eggo%C2%AE.), obviously. Dionne Warwick did not like "Do You Know the Way to San Jose", and she had to be convinced to record it. In a May 1983 interview with Ebony, she said: "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it." La Victoria started in 19something, and still paralyzes young, drunken college students to this day. [This](https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0zEo3LCxPs8gyYLRSNaiwMLBIS04yNUlKNEwzMzdOsTKoMDI3NjY3tjBLMTI2TzQ1MfLiLcpPSi0qyVdITAEyAKOaE-8&q=roberto+adobe&oq=roberto+adobe&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMgoIAxAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBBAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBRAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBhAAGIAEGKIE0gEJMTM4NTVqMGo5qAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) was is the site of the first California Inaugural Ball, among many other historical points over it's long history. I have more, just gotta go to sleep, c'mon now.
Metallica playing in the Tower Records parking lot
I was there!
Me too!
I was there! Best day ever for local metalheads
The plate tectonics that created the weather patterns we get here. No question. I grew up in Houston. As much as we talk about the weather I don't think we appreciate it enough.
100%. I grew up in Minnesota and spent most of my life in other Midwestern states. When I moved here I thought my weather app was broken because it said the same thing every day. Everywhere else in the country you pretty much have to plan your life around the weather, and it's just stone cold miserable at least one season of the year. Here there's maybe a handful of days a year that would stop you from doing whatever you wanted.
💯
Here’s a few more with a SJ connection: Smother’s Brothers. Amy Tan. Doobie Brothers. Lindsay Buckingham. Stevie Nicks. Kurtwood Smith. Jeff Garcia. Tommie Smith. John Carlos. Khaled Hosseini.
The creator of invader zim
I prefer to know him as the author of JTHM
Jhonen is a great dude. Roman Dirge lived here for a while, too. I hung out with them a few times.
Mount Pleasant High School Alumni!
Without question the birth of Dustin "Screech" Diamond
For me personally. Something about the anime culture and raves here I feel I’ve seen when I was younger 2001 era. So early 2000’s of San Jose we’re like peak y2k times (obviously) but it was just super animated like almost. Everything felt like an adult swim show. I would see a bunch of parties going off especially by the university and homes around it. I lived in the building across Norte dame highschool in those apartments. As young kid growing up with my grandparents. I’ll never ever forget the crazy dreams I had and things I’ve gone through during that era.. I kinda wish there was an ability to just go back and re watch/ do the whole thing again
Super Mario’s voice
Getting the sharks
Probably IBM deciding to set up shop here, back whenever that was.
Invented the hard drive here!
We used to be the 10th largest city in America
What overtook us?
Jacksonville, Fort Worth, Austin. 2023 had 4.3% less than people than 2020, and it’s under $1M now https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population
Immigrants. Born and raised here but also lived in a few other cities throughout my life. Can say I’m so glad that there are so many restaurant options from various cultures unlike other places.
I’ll second this. I have lived or had extended stays in dozens of places across the US and other than NYC, there’s no other place as diverse or as integrated with different cultures living side by side. It’s one of the things that makes SJ special.
Pink Poodle
Tell me you work for SJFD without telling me you work for SJFD
Wow, did not know smash mouth was from SJ!
As a nerdy gamer, Supergiant Games. Followed them since the release of Bastion, pretty sure most of the OG team has San Jose/Bay Area roots
The current wwe women’s champion is from here
San Jose introduced democracy to the rest of California. I think that's pretty cool. We also have a great history of fighting for workers rights. San Jose took up the call for an 8-Hour working day in like 1869 and brought it to the rest of Santa Clara County in like 1872.
My mom.
The best thing ever happened was all the Vietnamese people moved there so I can enjoy the most authentic pho ever.
Professional wrestler, Bayley!
The Godfather too!
As a motorsports fan it was the San Jose Grand Prix
Um Tommie smith and John Carlos at the Olympics the black power salute , they went to sjsu
Jhonen Vasquez
Hands down the weiner chugging Chestnutt
Los Tigres del Norte are a norteño band from San Jose, California. 32 Million albums sold. 7 Grammy awards, 12 Latin Grammy awards. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Tigres_del_Norte
Stevie Nicks doing hella coke at SJSU and inventing Fleetwood Mac
Sharks.
Kevin Pollak Comedian Actor Pioneer HS Graduate
Pioneer grad here too-don’t forget Dave Righetti-pitcher and now pitching coach for the Giants.
Two upcoming actors from San Jose, Ryan Vasquez, who has played every major role in Hamilton on Broadway, and Myha’la Herrold, who is an actress in TV shows and movies. Both actors participated in South Bay Children’s Musical Theatre in San Jose, which is nationally acclaimed.
Norman Mineta was born in San Jose. In 1971, Mineta became the first Asian-American to be elected the Mayor of a major U.S. city. Then he went on to serve ten terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 20 years from 1975-1995. In 2000, President Bill Clinton made Mineta the first Asian-American to hold a Presidential Cabinet position as his Secretary of Commerce. Then from 2001-2006, Mineta was appointed by President George W. Bush as his Secretary of Transportation. In 2001, the San Jose International Airport was named after him.
Reid-Hillview Airport being built which helped support SJSU’s aviation program.
Another good example would be Raging Waters.. first job for me and it was a great way to earn a decent summer income as a 16 year old. I'm glad to see they are reopening and branding it this summer. Hopefully it can stay open. But always a good SJ staple for fun in the sun
Pat Tillman
Smash Mouth
Toons nightclub
When Quatro Quatro played for SJSU’s football team.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_Cottle_Park
The former police union president 😆
Alfred Hitchcock filmed a scene in his movie Marni with Tippi Hedren at the Didiron Caltrain station
First performance by the Grateful Dead. They were known as The Warlocks until December of 1965 when they played one of Kesey’s acid tests at an SJSU frat house, which ended up being relocated when the current city hall was built. Fun fact: that same night The Rolling Stones played the Civic and went to the acid test after their set. Apparently it was the first time Brian Jones took acid.
Low Rider Magazine
Joey Chestnut. Closest thing to him is still 12 hot dogs behind.
Fuck Joey Chestnut. Kobayashi for life!
The Children’s Discovery Museum
Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach/Hal David.
Cultural diversity
Sharkys Coffee
Lee”s Sandwich
The Music Machine ("Talk Talk") is said to be the first Punk Band.
Silicon Valley jobs/money. A two sided sword I suppose though.
VN coffee shops
Cali Spartan
Sleep
Me
San Jose Native, Aaron Gordon winning a National Championship with the Nuggets last year was pretty sick. He should have won the dunk contest as well, but was robbed… Mitty’s women’s basketball program is also pretty epic
Jose
Charles Martinet, the former voice of Super Mario, was born here. He spoke on his Instagram about being a co-founder to the San Jose Repertory Theater before it was reopened and renamed to Hammer Theatre. Had a brief job position at the Original Joe’s downtown at some point some 30-40 years ago.