Los Gatos

Los Gatos is located in the south west area of the Silicon Valley, about 60 miles south of San Francisco. Situated in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, straddling California Highway 17, Los Gatos is the gateway to the Pacific Coast for the valley residents. Its current population is approximately 30,000, with an area of about 14 sq. miles. The town is a mix of residential houses, from small cottages to multi-million dollar custom homes. For many years, the towns base businesses were from the many auto dealerships along Los Gatos Blvd., but as the economy changed, it now has a vibrant downtown, and is the home to such technology companies as, Netflix (on-demand digital streaming video), Buongiorno (providing content for mobile phones), and Cryptic Studios (multiplayer online role-playing games).

The town of Los Gatos was founded in 1850-60’s, when James Forbes setup a flour mill, Forbes Mill, along the Los Gatos Creek. Originally named after the mill, Los Gatos also became part of the growing logging industry that developed in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and later progressed into agriculture as the community began growing apricots, grapes, and prunes in the area. As the technology industry in the Santa Clara Valley grew during the 1950’s, Los Gatos became a suburban community for the area.