Santa Clara is a family oriented and business friendly city, with an award-winning ethics program and a commitment to fostering public trust. In the heart of Silicon Valley, the City is located in Santa Clara County at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, about 45 miles south of San Francisco, and in a strategic regional location convenient to freeways, airports, railroads, expressways, light rail and other public transportation. "The Mission City, " as Santa Clara is known, was founded in 1852. It is now a community of about 118, 830 residents with employment base of about 106, 750. With 19.3 square miles of tree-lined neighborhoods, thriving commercial and industrial centers, and 300 days of sunshine each year, it is an ideal location for individuals, families, and businesses. Explore Californias early Spanish history at Mission Santa Clara de Asis, founded in 1777, on the beautiful campus of Santa Clara University, the States oldest institution of higher learning. Other points of interest and attractions include Mission College, the 100-acre Californias Great America theme park, an award-winning Santa Clara Convention Center, Triton Museum of Art, the de Saisset Museum, Intel Museum, the headquarters and practice fields of the world champion 49ers football team, and numerous shopping opportunities such as Westfield Shoppingtown - Valley Fair. For more information on attractions, hotels, and other points of interest, please visit the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Convention-Visitors Bureau website. The City of Santa Clara is not your typical Bay Area city. Its better. Voted one of ten All-America Cities in the New Millennium by the National Civic League, Santa Clara has a "High Tech, Human Touch, H2" approach to serving the communitys needs. It offers the regions lowest combined utility costs in the nine Bay Area counties, with savings of 30 to 40% on electricity alone, and it is consistently rated one of the most affordable cities in the nation for business. Santa Clara is a Charter City with a Council/Manager form of government. The Citys financial stability ensures the highest levels of citizen and business service, low business taxes and solid real estate value, and it is also one of the safest U.S. cities with a population of 75, 000+. Our outstanding public safety record includes the highest fire rating in Santa Clara County and some of the fastest emergency response times in the state. With a focus on high quality customer services and its reputation, it is no wonder more than 9, 400 businesses, including many of the worlds top technology firms, and thousands of long-time residents have made the City of Santa Clara their home. Numerous books have been published about the City of Santa Claras rich and varied history. They are available for checkout at the Citys library, or available for purchase from many local places, as well as online.