Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the Amador Valley, it is an upscale suburb in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 79,871 at the 2020 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in the United States by the Census Bureau.
Pleasanton is home to the headquarters of Workday, Ellie Mae, Roche Molecular Diagnostics, Blackhawk Network Holdings, Veeva Systems, and Simpson Manufacturing Company. Other major employers include Kaiser Permanente, Oracle, and Macy's. Although Oakland is the Alameda County seat, a few county offices are located in Pleasanton.
The Alameda County Fairgrounds are located in Pleasanton, where the county fair is held during the last week of June and the first week of July. Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is located on the west side of town.
History
Pre-contact
The Amador-Livermore Valley, where Pleasanton is located, was home to tribes in the Ohlone language group, mainly speaking Chochenyo. As of the 1770s seven tribes were present in the valley: the Causen, Pelnen, Seunen, Ssaoan, Ssouyen, Taunan, and Yulien. Each had a territory about 10 miles across, living in villages of 60-90 people. The total population of the valley was about 2000-2500 people.1700s
The first Spanish expedition reached the Amador-Livermore Valley in 1772. Native people from the valley began to join Mission Santa Clara, founded in 1777, in small numbers by the 1790s. Large groups began joining missions after [Mission San Jose, California|San José (California)|Mission San Jose] was founded in 1797.1800s
After Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, the missions were secularized, the Native people being emancipated and the land given in the form of ranchos to Spanish and Mexican colonists. Pleasanton is located on the lands of the Rancho Valle de San José and Rancho Santa Rita Mexican land grants.Alisal
Before the establishment of Pleasanton in the 1850s, an earlier settlement in the location was called Alisal. It was located on the lands of the Rancho Santa Rita near the site of a Native American ranchera, around the Francisco Solano Alviso Adobe called El Alisal, one of the earliest houses built in the valley in 1844. It is still standing and serves as the centerpiece of the Alviso Adobe Community Park. Alisal, nicknamed "The Most Desperate Town in the West", was one of the settlements located along La Vereda del Monte that was a haunt and refuge of bandits and desperados in the era following the beginning of the California Gold Rush. Main Street shootouts were not uncommon. Banditos such as Claudio Feliz and Joaquin Murrieta ambushed prospectors on their way back from the gold rush fields and then sought refuge in Alisal. In the 1860s Procopio, Narciso Bojorques and others took refuge there. Alisal Elementary School reflects the city's original name.Founding
The Rancho Valle de San José grant had been given to Agustín and Juan Pablo Bernal and their brothers-in-law Antonio Suñol and Antonio Maria Pico. In order to safeguard the grant from squatters during the Gold Rush in the 1840s-1850s, the Bernal family moved from San José to live on their ranch along with John Kottinger, an Austrian immigrant and a lawyer who had married into the family."Pleasanton" was chosen as the town's name in the 1860s by John W. Kottinger, an Alameda County justice of the peace, who named it after his friend, Union army cavalry Major General Alfred Pleasonton. A typographical error by a recording clerk in Washington, D.C., apparently led to the current spelling.
1900s
In 1917, Pleasanton was the backdrop for the film Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Mary Pickford. The town was once home to Phoebe Apperson Hearst, who lived in a 50-room mansion on a estate, now the site of Castlewood Country Club.Radum Plant was a sand and gravel plant opened in 1931 by Henry J. Kaiser Co., at Radum train station, one mile east of Pleasanton.
After World War II, Pleasanton changed from being primarily focused on farming and ranching to being a bedroom community and a place for corporate headquarters due to major growth of the Bay Area.
Geography
Pleasanton is adjacent to Hayward, Livermore, and Dublin. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water. On the east side of town on Stanley Blvd. near the Livermore border is Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, a lake that permits swimming, fishing, and boating. On the west side is the Pleasanton Ridge with two parks, Pleasanton Ridge and Augustin Bernal Park. Much of Pleasanton is drained by the Arroyo Valle and Arroyo Mocho watercourses. Pleasanton lies along the route of the historic First transcontinental railroad.Climate
Pleasanton features a Mediterranean climate, featuring hot, dry summers and mild to cool winters with occasional rainfall. The highest recorded temperature was in 1950. The lowest recorded temperature was in 1990.Demographics
2020
The 2020 United States census reported that Pleasanton had a population of 79,871. The population density was.There were 25,245 households, out of which 10,785 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 16,206 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,024 had a female householder with no husband present, 948 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 887 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 156 same-sex married couples or partnerships. Of the households, 4,860 were made up of individuals, and 1,853 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77. There were 19,178 families ; the average family size was 3.20.
There were 26,053 housing units at an average density of, of which 25,245 were occupied, of which 17,891 were owner-occupied, and 7,354 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 51,839 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,990 people lived in rental housing units.
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $186,206, and the per capita income was $86,151. About 2.8% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line.
EconomyPleasanton experienced a major economic boom starting in the early 1980s, largely associated with the development of a number of business parks, the largest of which is the Hacienda Business Park. These host a number of campus-like clusters of low-rise and medium-rise office buildings. Pleasanton has been successful in attracting a number of corporate headquarters, such as those of Safeway, Blackhawk Network Holdings, Workday, Simpson Manufacturing, The Cooper Companies and Shaklee. Despite an increase in office space vacancy rates in 2000–2004, economic development has remained strong through the middle of the decade.Pleasanton was also the headquarters of the former PeopleSoft, Inc., Documentum, Thoratec, E-Loan, Spreckels Sugar Company, Ross Stores, Patelco Credit Union and the home loan operation of Providian. Oracle occupies two buildings of the former PeopleSoft campus. In addition, Pleasanton is the site of a large AT&T campus. Other companies with major operations in Pleasanton include Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc., Cisco Systems, QASource, Sage Software, CooperVision, Clorox, Fireside Bank, Roche, BMC Software, Zoho Corporation, Applied Biosystems, EMC Corporation, Portrait Displays, Inc. and Broadcom Inc. In retail operations, Pleasanton has one major regional mall and a number of other shopping centers. In addition to the business parks and retail centers, Pleasanton is known for its downtown, which is home to a number of fine-dining, casual, and ethnic restaurants, specialty retailers, and service businesses. A redesign of Main Street in the 1990s emphasized pedestrian traffic and outdoor dining. In 2005, the median household income in Pleasanton was $101,022, the highest income for any city with a population between 65,000 and 249,999 people. Similarly, for 2007, the median household income rose to $113,345, also the highest in the category. According to City-Data.com, the median household income had risen to $121,622 by 2013, compared to a statewide median of $60,190. According to the Bay East Association of Realtors, the median price of a detached single family home was $1,795,000 as of August 2021. According to Zillow.com, the median home value in Pleasanton was $1,500,415 as of September 2021. Top employersAccording to the city, as of July 2024 the top fifteen employers in Pleasanton are:
Arts and cultureEvents and festivalsPleasanton maintains regular events for the community. Every Saturday morning a farmers' market sets up on Angela, off Main Street. There are several parades during the year, commemorating Christmas, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day, as well as kicking off the beginning of the Alameda County Fair and soccer season.First WednesdayBeginning in the late 1990s, the Pleasanton Downtown Association organized the popular First Wednesday celebrations from May through September of each year. On the first Wednesday of summer months, Main Street was blocked to traffic and adopted a street fair atmosphere. Each First Wednesday celebration was given a theme and planned with related activities. At this local event, businesses and organizations from downtown and around the Tri-Valley set up booths in the center of the street. A local band performed in the Inklings coffee house parking lot, which was closed off for dancing. The parking lot was also set up as a beergarden, with beer and wine available for consumption. In 2017, the association announced it was discontinuing the events, and was considering other types of events in future years.Friday Concerts in the ParkAnother Pleasanton Downtown Association tradition is the Friday Concerts in the Park series. Every Friday from June until September the PDA schedules different local bands to perform in the evenings at the Lions' Wayside Park off of First Street. The events are free of charge and draw a crowd. Additional seating for 'Concerts in the Park' is available at Delucchi Park, at the intersection of First Street and Neal Street.FairgroundsThe Alameda County Fairgrounds is a facility located in Pleasanton. It is home to the annual Alameda County Fair, held since 1912, as well as numerous trade shows and community events including but not limited to the Scottish Games which occur annually on Labor Day weekend. Located on its grounds, the Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack was built in 1858, making it the oldest horse racing track in the United States. There is a 3,000 seat amphitheater, as well as a nine-hole golf course located within the track's infield.The Alameda County Central Railroad Society has maintained a model train exhibit at the fairgrounds since 1959. ArchitectureBecause of the preservation of Pleasanton's historic downtown area, many examples of architectural styles dating back to the mid-19th century exist. Buildings in Gothic Revival, Pioneer, Italianate, Commercial Italianate, Colonial Revival, and Queen Anne styles can be found within walking distance of each other.One of the icons of downtown Pleasanton is the Kolln Hardware building, located at 600 Main Street. It is designed in the Commercial Italianate style, but the prominent five-sided corner tower and a few other features are indicative of the Colonial Revival style. The structure mixes in a little bit of Queen Anne design in the tower and gable. This building was built in 1890 and has always housed a hardware store, first by the Lewis Brothers, then Cruikshank and Kolln. The hardware store has been known as Kolln Hardware since 1933. In 2004, the Kolln Hardware business shut its doors. Bud Cornett, a Pleasanton developer, purchased the landmark and has invested in its renovation and earthquake retrofit. After more than 100 years of serving the community as a hardware store, the space is now occupied by Comerica Bank. Firehouse Arts CenterThe Firehouse Arts Center, opened in 2010, is a center of culture and art for Pleasanton. It features a 221-seat theater, the Harrington art gallery, and classrooms for art and drama.Hacienda del Pozo de VeronaHacienda del Pozo de Verona was destroyed in a fire in 1969. The house was built by architect A. C. Schweinfurth for Phoebe Hearst in 1898. Phoebe Apperson Hearst had the hacienda remodeled and expanded by architect Julia Morgan for use as her primary residence after her husband died. The estate was built upon a rancheria obtained in 1886 by George Hearst, who intended to use the location for a race horse farm. Its name was inspired by the circular, carved marble wellhead purchased by Phoebe and William in Verona, Italy and installed in the middle of the courtyard. The hacienda was the only female-owned estate to be mentioned in Porter Garnett's Stately Homes of California. The architecture of the hacienda has been called California Mission style by various sources. The original architect used the term "provincial Spanish Renaissance", while Garnett wrote it would be more accurately called "Hispano-Moresque". Moorish influence was found throughout the estate, such as in the guardhouses which stood on either side of the courtyard entrance. The hacienda was topped by imported red Spanish tiles and had undecorated walls of white stucco. After Phoebe's death in 1919, William had the wellhead and other furniture and objects moved to Hearst Castle at San Simeon and sold the estate.GovernmentLocalPleasanton operates under a council–manager form of municipal government. The council consists of four representatives elected by district and one mayor elected at-large. The councilors are each elected to a four-year term, while the mayor serves a two-year term. Council and mayoral elections are non-partisan. The vice mayor is appointed each calendar year by the mayor. The mayor and council members are limited to a maximum term of eight years.The city council consists of: Jack Balch, Craig Eicher, Matt Gaidos, Jeffrey Nibert, and Julie Testa. The city manager is Gerry Beaudin. State and FederalIn the state legislature Pleasanton is in, who will be termed out. In the state assembly Pleasanton is in and. Federally, Pleasanton is in.Pleasanton has 44,099 registered voters with 17,021 registered as Democrats, 11,338 registered as Republicans, and 13,867 Decline to State voters.
EducationFor the majority of Pleasanton, the public schools are part of the Pleasanton Unified School District. Pleasanton USD formed in 1988 when the school districts of Pleasanton and Dublin unified along city lines. A very small portion of Pleasanton lies in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District.Pleasanton's two comprehensive high schools, Amador Valley and Foothill, are ranked by Niche among the top 200 public high schools in the nation. Pleasanton also has a continuation high school, Village High School. As of 2024, the district also contained Thomas S. Hart Middle School, Pleasanton Middle School and Harvest Park Middle School along with nine elementary schools, one preschool, and an adult education program. MediaThe Pleasanton Weekly is a local newspaper. Tri-Valley Community Television operates their sole station in Pleasanton.TransportationRoadsPleasanton is situated at the crossroads of two major Interstate Highways, I-580 and I-680, which mirror the historic cross-routes of Native American tribes who used the precursor paths as major trading routes. This fact was first discovered with the excavations for Hacienda Business Park, revealing significant tribal artifacts and human skeletal remains.Public transitThe city is served by two stations on the Bay Area Rapid Transit heavy rail system's Blue Line, which runs along the northern boundary of the city:
The Wheels (LAVTA) bus transit system is the primary provider of bus service in Pleasanton, and connects Pleasanton to Livermore and Dublin, along with the above three stations. Express routes from Pleasanton station and Dublin/Pleasanton station to San Ramon and Walnut Creek are provided by County Connection. AirportsPleasanton's closest airport is Livermore Municipal Airport, which is primarily used for general aviation and charter flights; there is no regularly scheduled commercial service. The closest commercial airports are San Jose International Airport, which is reachable by the Altamont Corridor Express, and Oakland International Airport, which can be reached directly through BART. The majority of international flights serving the region operate from San Francisco International Airport, also accessible via BART.Notable peoplePeople from Pleasanton include:
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