Founded in 1852, Santa Clara is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions. Known as 'The Mission City,' Santa Clara gets it's name from Mission Santa Clara de Asis which is located on the grounds of Santa Clara University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the state. Highly decorated as a city, Santa Clara was voted one of ten All-America Cities in 2001 by the National Civic League, and number eight in 2002 on the list of "Best Cities for Women." Located at the center of Silicon Valley and just outside the Mineta San Jose International Airport, highways 880, 280, 101, and routes 17 and 87 serve local commuters, as well as Caltrain and the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE).
The League of California Cities recently honored Santa Clara for it's efforts to educate and encourage political candidates to use the city's code of ethics and values as a campaign guideline. A high standard of moral principles can also be found in notable non-profit organizations such as Project Sentinel, which provides affordable and low-income housing to city residents. The city-owned and operated Silicon Valley Power plant allows for the lowest combined utility rates of any Bay Area city, a great encouragement for business and resident relocation. Community services, athletic and art classes, therapeutic recreation and after school programs can found at the newly remodeled Community Recreation Center and the Youth Activities Center. The award-winning Santa Clara Convention Center accommodates business and trade conventions, and is blanketed with wireless internet.
With nearly 450 acres of preserved open space, 38 municipal parks and playgrounds, and a local farmer's market, Santa Clara residents have access to a wealth of outdoor escapes. The 52 acres of Central Park offer an amphitheater, public library, and the George F. Haines International Swim Center. Paramount's Great America theme park attracts thrill-seekers from the entire Bay Area. Although no real downtown area has survived Santa Clara's years of redevelopment, the city's Business Recognition Program supports long-standing businesses and welcomes new retail. The popular Westfield Shoppingtown-Valley Fair and Great Mall of the Bay Area provide diverse, convenient shopping.
102,361 residents live within Santa Clara's 18-square-miles, earning a median household income of $69,466. 920 properties were sold last year with a median price of $730,000. Sixteen elementary, three middle, and three high schools are served by the Santa Clara Unified School District, which earned an API score of 741 in 2005. Millikin Elementary, with an API of 998, and Laurelwood Elementary, with an API 864, stand out for excellent achievement. Millikin Elementary is a California Distinguished School, with two fifth graders tying for first place (out of 240,00 students) in this year's national Wordmasters Challenge. Santa Clara University is ranked in the top ten business schools in the country. Renown companies such as Intel, Sun Microsystems, and Applied Materials are headquartered in Santa Clara. The 49ers practice facility is located within the city, which also boasts the fame of Michelle Akers, National Soccer Hall of Fame member and former star of the U.S Women's National Soccer team.