Mountain View History

While Silicon Valley as a region tends to have a shared history, Mountain View has its own story to tell.

While Silicon Valley as a region tends to have a shared history, Mountain View has its own story to tell. Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, our town was once a stagecoach stop—but it has origins before that time.

Prior to European missionaries arriving on the San Francisco Peninsula, Mountain View was home to the Ohlone Indians. In those days, Mountain View was likely comprised of rolling hills carpeted in grasses, dotted with California live oaks. In 1777, the Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded. The Native Americans who worked on the mission used the land that is now Mountain View was pasture for grazing sheep and cattle.

By the late 1800s, Mountain View had become an agricultural boomtown. The economy transitioned from grazing cattle to cultivating grain and hay, and forests were cut down. By 1880, many farmers had turned their lands into profitable orchards and vineyards. The city was incorporated in 1902 with a population of 611. And the rest is history!

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