Interesting facts

1. Founded in 1777, San Jose (El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe) was the first civilian settlement in Alta California. 2. It served as the first capital of California after statehood in 1850. 3. San Jose is widely known as the "Capital of Silicon Valley" due to its economic and geographic centrality to the tech industry. 4. Before the tech boom, the region was known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" because it was one of the largest agricultural hubs in the world, famous for its orchards. 5. Japantown in San Jose is one of only three historical Japantowns remaining in the United States. 6. The Winchester Mystery House is a famous local mansion featuring stairs that lead to ceilings and doors that open to walls, supposedly built to confuse ghosts. 7. The San Jose Sharks (NHL) are the city's major professional sports team, playing at the SAP Center, affectionately known as "The Shark Tank." 8. San Jose State University, established in 1857, is the oldest public university on the West Coast. 9. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose houses the largest collection of authentic Egyptian artifacts on the West Coast. 10. Eggo Waffles were invented in San Jose in 1953 by Frank Dorsa. 11. The city averages over 300 days of sunshine per year. 12. Lick Observatory, located on nearby Mount Hamilton, was the world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory. 13. Downtown San Jose features a giant 930-square-foot Monopoly board in Discovery Meadow. 14. The Tech Interactive, a family-friendly science and technology center, features a massive IMAX dome theater. 15. Chuck E. Cheese originated in San Jose in 1977, founded by Nolan Bushnell, who also co-founded Atari. 16. San Jose hosted the first United States Olympic Judo trials in 1980. 17. A controversial 1881 San Jose electric light tower supposedly inspired the design and lighting of the Eiffel Tower (though this remains a debated local legend). 18. The city's Vietnamese population is one of the largest in any single city outside of Vietnam. 19. San Jose has been frequently ranked as the most expensive housing market in the United States. 20. Earthquakes are a known regional factor, and the city sits near the San Andreas and Hayward fault lines.