More About San Jose
San Jose is a city at the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Santa Clara County, California. One of the largest cities in population in the United States, San Jose lays claim to being the capital of Silicon Valley, a nickname for a swath of communities engaged in high-technology research and manufacturing. Although one of the fastest-growing cities in California, it is not strong on identity though in area and population it's close to twice the size of San Francisco.
Downtown San Jose experienced a renaissance in the 1980s. The cornerstone of this massive revitalization venture is the San Jose Mc Enery Convention Center, completed in 1989. Just to the north of the convention center is the Plaza de Cesar Chavez (formerly City Plaza Park), part of the plaza originally created when the city was founded and the site of frequent community events. Near the plaza stand the San Jose Museum of Art and historic St. Joseph Cathedral, noted for its murals and stained-glass windows. Four blocks east is San Jose State University, distinguished by its ivy-covered campus tower. Several blocks north are St. James Park and the Hensley Historic District, featuring an extensive collection of restored Victorian homes. The largest of the many parks inside San Jose is Alum Rock Park, where many kilometers of hiking and equestrian trails wind through oak woodlands and chaparral in the mountain foothills. Along its banks is Kelley Park, which contains Happy Hollow, a family park focused on providing children with a creative play area. Alma den Lake Park is popular for its swimming beach on a lake that filled a former rock quarry. A section of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge covers the estuary where the Guadalupe River enters the bay. Among the beautiful public gardens in the city are the Municipal Rose Garden, with about 3500 rose plants; the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, which emphasizes the history of rose cultivation; and the Over felt Gardens, noted for its Chinese Cultural Garden. County-operated parks near the city include Alma den Quicksilver County Park, which was once a quicksilver mine; Sanborn-Skyline County Park, with groves of redwood trees and sweeping views of the Santa Clara Valley; and the large Joseph D. Grant County Park, on the eastern mountain slopes.
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