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California History Overview
Milpitas once had an encampment of Ohlone Indians. Two adobe rancheros still stand from the early days of the Spanish. An early motto was “As goes Milpitas, so goes the State!” For centuries, Milpitas has often taken the lead in new ways of living and governance. If you want to live in the City of the Future, with a lively part in California history, too, come live in Milpitas. About Milpitas The Milpitas Historical Society General meeting is the second Wednesday of each month, 7 PM, in the assembly room of the Milpitas Community Library. A History of Main Street: A Trip Through Historic Milpitas A live presentation with Host:…
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Population Growth of Milpitas From 2023-2024
Milpitas has been growing at an unprecedented rate compared to other Santa Clara County Cites. We’ve been growing faster than all but one other nearby cities. The population estimate for Milpitas in 2024 is 81,773 people. Milpitas is the 117th largest city in California. It is a little smaller than Mountain View, and a little larger than Palo Alto. More people moved into Milpitas in the last year. We gained 0.17% of our previous population, 138 people. This report provides revised population estimates as of January 1, 2023, and provisional population estimates as of January 1, 2024, for the state, counties, and cities and includes a calculation of annual percent change. These…
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Best Place to Live: the Great Town of Milpitas, California
Maps of California, showing location of Santa Clara County, and the county showing location of Milpitas. Why is Milpitas a Best Place to Live? Milpitas is a fair sized, suburban city that is situated between San Jose and Fremont, but has retained that small town feel, making us a best place to live. City Council and School Board meetings are social events, and are currently online during Covid-19, so even if you live elsewhere, you can still attend. Politically, we tend to vote Democrat, but every nuance of progressive politics is evident. Being in Northern California, it is cooler than the southern end of the state, yet because of the…
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History of Milpitas – 1900s
The Milpitas Monster was filmed in 1975 and 1976 and released to market in 1980, 80 Minutes, Color, Rated PG. Starring: Douglas A. Hagdohl, John “Pop” Kennedy, Scot A. Henderson, Daniel G. Birkhead, Scott Parker, Priscilla House, and William C. Guest. Screenplay by David E. Boston. Music by Robert R. Berry, Jr. Produced and Directed by Robert L. Burrill. Based on a story by David R. Kottas and Robert L. Burrill. Watch the trailer. On January 26, 1954, Milpitas residents incorporated as a city, including the Ford Factory. See what else happened in the 1900s. Milpitas in the 1900s On January 26, 1954, faced with getting swallowed up by a rapidly expanding San…
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Harry Wu: His Legacy
Releasing Wu was a major embarrassment to the PRC government. And, where in the world did Wu live? You guessed it: Milpitas. In fact, a very big deal was made to welcome Harry Wu home to Milpitas when he returned to the United States. Dateline: 3/19/98, Updated 6/18/2023/ From his inauspicious Milpitas tract home, Harry Wu has been operating a center for international intrigue. Once again, the controversial Chinese human rights crusader has made his blow for the fate of imprisoned dissidents in China, and put Milpitas on the front page of papers around the world. Harry’s target this time: China’s practice of reselling the organs of executed prisoners for…
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Historical trivia: Milpitas’ history as the constant butt of nationwide jokes
By Eric Shapiro, June 17, 2023, in The Milpitas Beat The Milpitas Beat last Saturday caught up with Milpitas Historical Society President Bill Hare for a fun, quick chat about our city’s long yet forgotten history as the butt of endless jokes around the nation… According to Hare, for about a century, a comparable cultural sentiment was in circulation about a “man from Milpitas…” No man in particular, just a general, fictional Milpitas resident… The Milpitas Historical Society can trace the whole thing back to news articles from the 1860s. According to Hare, “In 1863, there was talk of California maybe leaving the union and becoming a slave state…There was…
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Sunnyhills Neighborhood History
Please join Executive Producers Donnie Eiland and David Mosqueda for a special virtual viewing of… 54: The Story Of The First Planned Integrated Community In The Country History of the Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association Sunnyhills was the first planned racially-integrated community in the United States in 1956, arranged by a Union co-op of the United Auto Workers. Today, Sunnyhills still has one of the highest levels of integration of any neighborhood. More detailed version. Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association June 2022 Breakfast Meeting K’Meyer related the story of how the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker social action organization, and the United Auto Workers union cooperated in the early 1950s to build…
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Ancient & Medieval History in the South Bay Area
You can find out more about ancient and medieval times right here in the South Bay Area. Learn about the mysterious rock wall formations, too. Paleontological Boy Paleontologists In the Irvington gravel pits, known as Bell Quarry, located off of Osgood Road from 1944 to 1960, the Boy Paleontologists of Hayward unearthed plant and animal fossils including mammoths, saber cats, horses, camels, and even rodents. A new species named Tetrameryx irvingtonensis, a four-pronged antelope, was the most significant find. Presently Freeway 680, between Washington Boulevard and Durham Road, covers this fossil field. Children’s Natural History Museum Including “Irvingtonian Fossils”, the “Boy Paleontologist” Room, “Bones of Vertebrates,” and “Environments through Time”…
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Main Street History Tour
Joann Souza narrates a tour of Main Street telling about the historic buildings and sites along the way. Created by MilpitasHistory
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Milpitas Historical Society April 14, 2021 with Mort Levine & Deva Luna
Milpitas Post founder Mort Levine, with his daughter Deva Luna, reflects on his family’s history in Milpitas, and talks about the life of his wife Elaine Levine, co-founder of The Milpitas Historical Society and original publisher of the Milpitas Post. Video from the Milpitas Historical Society.
