Many of you relocating to Silicon Valley may not realise that there used to be a different type of thriving industry in this area. Santa Clara Valley, or the Valley of Heart’s Delight, was home to hundreds of orchards which, for the most part, gave way to the massive urbanisation created by the discovery of the Silicon Chip.
I knew about this from hearing those grievances of folks who have lived here a lot longer than I have, but a gentle reminder from the Technology Section of the New York Times brought it home to me this week just how much that old fruit industry has been swallowed up by its technological successor.
The newly remodelled Fiesta Super Market at 391 San Antonio Road in Mountain View is the focus of this publicity. Seems that, according to Bits, this is also considered the location of the birthplace of Silicon Valley by a “William Shockley, the famous (some would say infamous) physicist who started a semiconductor laboratory on the site and hired many of the chip industry’s founding fathers”. It appears that Mr Shockley decided that Silicon was the best material for building semi-conductor devices and the rest, as they say, is history.
It’s very befitting, then, that a valley, originally called Santa Clara Valley and only known for its plethora of fruits and vegetables, the home of Libby’s fruit cannery, should now house a fruit and vegetable market on the very spot where Silicon Valley was ostensibly born.
Can we say “What goes around, comes around?”
For more information on Silicon Valley and its history, check out my website page.
Stumble It!
I liked your post about silicon valley. It’s a nice little bit of history. It’s really cool that you’re interested in helping people relocate to this area. I work for a company called Jaxtr, and we provide low rates for international calling and free sms among other things. These could be helpful tools for yourself and other expats in staying in touch. Just thought I’d pass it along. Take care.