The city of Pleasanton is truly a Bay Area jewel offering a wide variety of attractive amenities, which enhance this bustling, friendly community. Celebrating the city’s cultural diversity, locals take to the streets to enjoy several annual festivals and seasonal events. Pedestrian friendly, tree lined neighborhoods invoke a feeling of safety and community. The charming historic district teeming with specialty shops and outdoor cafes provide a pleasant destination to shop, dine and meet with friends.
With a population of over 69,000 and a land area of 21 square miles, Pleasanton has been thoughtfully planned and includes many public areas of recreation. The city has several public parks and is surrounded by wide-open spaces giving it a rural atmosphere. A well-established system of trails perfect for jogging, biking and hiking are woven throughout the city. Pleasanton’s family friendly attitude, low crime rate and excellent school system make the town a perfect place to raise children. Several of the area schools have been designated National Blue Ribbon Schools and one outstanding school garnered the National School of Character Award, an honor bestowed on only ten exemplary schools throughout the nation. In addition, the city is close to several excellent institutes of higher learning including the University of Berkeley, one of the most distinguished colleges in the country.
Once a sleepy farming community, Pleasanton has been transformed into a vital center of commerce and technology with an attitude that looks far into the future. The city’s dynamic, cutting edge energy has made Pleasanton a major job center. Over 5,400 businesses and industries employing over 50,000 people are presently located in Pleasanton. Major corporations such as ATT, Farmer’s Insurance, Peoplesoft, Safeway, Pro Business and Documentum have chosen Pleasanton has the ideal location for their corporate headquarters. Pleasanton is in close proximity to the cities of Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco, which are easily accessible by public or private transportation. Over 139 local employers have made the 2004 list of SM Coalition, which recognizes the Bay Area’s Best Workplaces for Commuters and identifies employers committed to improving the quality of life for their employees.
LOCATION/ TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Pleasanton, the jewel of the Amador Valley, is located in the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area directly off Interstate 680 close to the 680/580 interchange. Less than an hour’s drive from three International Airports, Pleasanton lies 33 miles east of San Francisco, 18 miles north of Oakland, 32 miles north east of San Jose and 88 miles south of Sacramento. A part of Alameda County, Pleasanton’s closest neighbors are Dublin, Sunol, San Ramon and Livermore, all less than ten miles away. Pleasanton’s ideal geographic location has been one of the major factors for the city’s continued and growing success. The Tri Valley area is well served by several convenient and efficient public transportation systems including BART, which connects the Tri Valley area with downtown San Francisco. The popular Bay Area Ride Share Program and The Spare the Air Program were developed to both assist thousands of Bay Area commuters, and keep the skies clear.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Amador Valley, covered in sycamore, buckeye and oak trees, was originally home to the Ohlone and Seunen tribes, and was the largest concentration of Native Americans in North America. These peaceful communities had many large settlements along Pleasanton Ridge and to this day people still come upon artifacts and relics, which tell the story of their rich and complex culture. The year 1772 marked the arrival of Spanish explorers who effectively challenged and then subdued the Ohlone and Seunen people. Mission San Jose was completed in 1797 and the valley was converted into grazing land for the local livestock. In 1821 the newly independent country of Mexico granted California land to loyal Mexican politicians effectively extending Mexico’s borders northward. However, the discovery of gold in the 1840’s changed the Valley’s future forever. The promise of riches resulted in a huge influx of fortune seekers who set up camp throughout the area. When California was admitted into the union in 1850, these visitors became permanent residents. In 1851 the small town was formally acknowledged and named in honor of a distinguished Civil War general, Alfred Pleasonton. A clerical error resulted in the much more apt title of Pleasanton, and the name was quickly accepted by the townspeople. In the 1950’s Pleasanton’s rural atmosphere began to change. Close proximity to the bay and major centers of commerce began to draw thousands of new residents and the city experienced a rapid growth spurt. Pleasanton was quickly developed and by the mid 1980’s the city became the third fastest growing residential area in the state. Today, Pleasanton has successfully maintained a program of “positive growth” retaining the spirit and personal interrelationships, which characterize a small town.
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