Prior to the founding of the neighborhood of Campbell, the land was occupied by theOhlone, the Native American people of the Northern California coast.
About a third of present-day Campbell was part of the 1839Alta CaliforniaRancho Rinconada de Los Gatos land grant. The northern extent of the grant land was along present-day Rincon Avenue, and across the North end of John D. Morgan Park in central Campbell.
The city was founded by Benjamin Campbell (1826–1907), after whom the city is named.[8] Benjamin came toCalifornia in 1846 with his father,William M. Campbell I (1793–1885).[8] William started a sawmill inSaratoga, and surveyed the cities ofSan Jose and Santa Clara. In 1851, Benjamin bought 160 acres (0.65 km2) in southernSanta Clara Valley and cultivatedhay and grain on it.[8] This area later became Campbell's historical downtown core.
In 1878, Campbell sold his land for $5 anacre to a railroad company.[8] By 1887, the first subdivision was recorded west of the railroad, from Campbell Avenue to the spot where the Water Tower Plaza now stands. He and his wife Mary (née Rucker) Campbell (1834–1913) founded the city which was first known asCampbell's Place, but would later become the town of Campbell.[8][9]
In 1888, the Campbell School District was formed.[9]
The area became the center for shipping fruit grown in the surrounding area, and within a short time, the drying grounds and canneries made Campbell an important rail center. By 1892, the Campbell Fruit Growers' Union became a well-known cooperative with its 17-acre (69,000 m2) drying yard. J.C. Ainsley Packing Company, Hyde Cannery, and Payne Cannery were the main fruit packing companies.[9]
In 1895, The Bank of Campbell was founded and the first newspaper, theCampbell Weekly Visitor, began publication.[9]
Campbell wasincorporated as a city in 1952.[9] The city then grew rapidly as orchard lands disappeared, tract by tract. Today, Campbell is a suburban residential neighborhood in the southern part of theSanta Clara Valley.
Campbell is bordered on the east and north bySan Jose, on the south byLos Gatos, and on the west by a small portion ofSaratoga.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.10 square miles (15.8 km2), of which 6.08 square miles (15.7 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) is water.[4]
Of the total area, 0.32% is water, consisting of percolation ponds inLos Gatos Creek Park and in other locations;San Tomas Aquino Creek, which flows north on the west side of the city, is completely enclosed with fences and runs through concreteculverts; and Los Gatos Creek, which flows north-north-east on the east side of the city and has paths along both banks for hikers and joggers (locally called the "Perc Ponds"). Residents are able to reach Los Gatos by continuing on the creek trail. Downtown Campbell contains many local stores and shops, and every Sunday the downtown street close from 8am-1pm for a local farmers market.
State Route 17 runs roughly parallel to Los Gatos Creek on its eastern side;State Route 85 runs roughly east–west through Los Gatos just south of Campbell and cuts through the southwest corner of the city.
It was reported that 16,121 people live in households, with an average of 2.64 persons per house. 84.1% were living in the same house 1 year ago. 35.6% of households spoke a language other than English.
49.2% of the housing in occupied by the owner. The median value of owner occupied housing units was $1,156,000. The median gross rent was $2,323.
The Census reported that 39,148 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 79 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 122 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 16,163 households, out of which 4,897 (30.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,133 (44.1%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,741 (10.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 812 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,092 (6.8%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 138 (0.9%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,805 households (29.7%) were made up of individuals, and 1,328 (8.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42. There were 9,686families (59.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.05.
The population was spread out, with 8,271 people (21.0%) under the age of 18, 2,982 people (7.6%) aged 18 to 24, 12,834 people (32.6%) aged 25 to 44, 10,868 people (27.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,394 people (11.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
There were 16,950 housing units at an average density of 2,879.7 units per square mile (1,111.9 units/km2), of which 8,093 (50.1%) were owner-occupied, and 8,070 (49.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 20,975 people (53.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 18,173 people (46.2%) lived in rental housing units.
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 39,200 people, 15,920 households, and 9,122 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,802.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,626.6/km2). There were 16,286 housing units at an average density of 2,905.0 units per square mile (1,121.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.78%White, 2.53%African American, 0.65%Native American, 14.16%Asian, 0.23%Pacific Islander, 4.87% fromother races, and 4.77% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 13.33% of the population.
28.0% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% weremarried couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.02.
The city population was 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 40.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
About 48% of the adult population has at least one college-leveldegree. However, this has declined in recent years as a greater number of working-class immigrants move into the city.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,214, and the median income for a family was $78,663 (these figures had risen to $70,928 and $89,285 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[16]). Males had a median income of $52,454 versus $43,750 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $34,441. About 3.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
At the county level, Campbell is located entirely within the 4th supervisorial district, represented on theSanta Clara CountyBoard of Supervisors by Susan Ellenberg.
The city is represented by the city council, which internally elects a mayor and vice-mayor every calendar year. In December 2020, Liz Gibbons and Paul Resnikoff were elected mayor and vice-mayor, respectively.[22]
Campbell is strongly Democratic in presidential elections, with the last Republican to win the city being Ronald Reagan in 1984.
The city is policed by its own police force, the Campbell Police Department, which shares its building with the rest of city hall. It sponsors aLaw Enforcement Exploring program.[23]
Campbell is in the southwest portion ofSanta Clara Valley. It is bisected byHighway 17 passing through eastern Campbell.Highway 85 is to its south. The historic downtown section sits just west of the railroad in the central area. The southwestern area of Campbell is known as the San Tomas neighborhood and varies somewhat from most of Campbell in the size of its lots and styles of housing. East–west running Hamilton Avenue is one of the northernmost roads in Campbell.
The largest park in Campbell is Los Gatos County Park near Highway 17, and the second largest is John D. Morgan Park.[24]
The extension was the subject of a minor dispute with theFederal Railroad Administration over the sounding of train horns late at night. This dispute delayed the opening of most of the extension for two months before the grand opening on October 1, 2005.
There are few large shopping centers or business complexes in the city, as Campbell is primarily a suburban residential area.
Most residences are single-family homes, although there are some areas withcondominiums,duplexes, and apartments.[24] Single-family homes typically have one or twobathrooms and three or fourbedrooms and are between 1,000 and 1,600 square feet (93 and 149 m2) onlots typically measuring about 6,000 square feet (560 m2). The vast majority were built in the 1950s through 1970s. There are pockets of older homes, mostly neardowntown, often in demand for their architectural styles.[25] There are also pockets of newer, much larger homes about 3,500 square feet (330 m2), mostly built in the 1990s on subdivided lots previously occupied by homes dating from the first half of the 20th century.
Campbell's downtown is located near where Campbell Avenue intersects with the railroad. The downtown has many shops, bars, and restaurants.[24]
The oldest commercial building in the city was erected in 1920 for the Grower's Bank. The building was converted to a movie theater in 1938. In 1968, The Gaslighter Theater company purchased and refurbished the building with a small stage and bar.[26] The Gaslighter producedmelodramas andVaudeville-style shows there until it closed in 2006. In 2013 the building was sold and underwent refurbishment to become a wine bar, tasting room, and restaurant.[27]
As of October 2006, the median price of single-family homes and condos was $707,500, up 4.8% from the previous October, and averaging $472 per square foot ($5,080/m2) according to theSan Jose Mercury News[citation needed]; the average single-family home price, excluding condos, was $645,000 in January 2004 (according to the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors). The price is based largely on the land value; the replacement cost for homes is about $150 to $200 per square foot ($1,600 to $2,200/m2).[citation needed]
With the advent of theCalifornia housing crisis, property values have greatly increased; as of April 2018, the median home value was $1,453,300, according toZillow.[28]
Like many other cities in theSanta Clara Valley, Campbell was originally orchard land that was later developed into housing tracts.
Campbell public schools belong to two districts, theCampbell Union School District and theCampbell Union High School District. Of these districts, the schools located within the city are Campbell School of Innovation (K-8), Capri Elementary, Rosemary Elementary, Village School, andWestmont High School. Forest Hill Elementary School's campus is partially located in Campbell as well. Westmont High School is home to one of the few enduringFuture Farmers of America programs left in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Within the school districts, there are 19 Campbell elementary schools, 9 Campbell middle schools, 3 Campbell high schools and 28 Campbell preschool schools. There are also 13 private schools in Campbell.
In the early 1990s, theAinsley House a unique English Tudor-style house built in 1925,[31] was moved from its original site at the corner of Hamilton and Bascom Avenues (the current site ofeBay's headquarters) to the downtown quad and furnished with many of the Ainsley family's original furnishings. It has become the centerpiece for theAinsley House andCampbell Historical Museum, which houses additional exhibits in the nearby oldfirehouse. The Ainsley House was built in the style of English country cottages forJohn Colpitts Ainsley, acanning pioneer in Santa Clara County, which was at the time known for its vast spreads of fruitorchards.
The Heritage Theater, formerly the Campbell High School auditorium
The Campbell Community Center is located on the northwest corner of Winchester and Campbell Avenues, in the building that used to beCampbell High School, the original school in theCampbell Union High School District.[32] The Redwood Tree, which stands at the corner of Winchester Boulevard and Campbell Avenue was originally planted there on May 11, 1903, by then PresidentTeddy Roosevelt.[33] The city acquired the property on August 1, 1985, five years after the school shut down.[34] The Heritage Theater, formerly the high school's auditorium, was reopened after renovations in 2004 as an entertainment and event venue. The Community Center holds classes, and portions are available to be rented for various events.
Campbell Water Tower
The Campbell Water Tower is a highly visible remnant of Campbell's "small town" past and located on the site of the original city water company and pumping plant near downtown.
Campbell used to be the home of the Winchester Drive-In Theater (now a business park) and is also home to a number of public parks that include John D. Morgan Park, Campbell Park, Edith Morley Park (the site of the city's community garden program), Jack Fischer Park, the Los Gatos Creek Trail Park, Orchard City Green, and Stojanovich Family Park.[35] Joseph Gomes Park located at 217 Winchester Blvd. is the smallest park in Campbell.[36]
Blenheimapricot trees planted in 2013 on the Dubcich farm
The Dubcich farm located on West Campbell Ave. near John D. Morgan Park is Campbell's last remaining piece of agricultural property and connection to the city's agrarian origins.[37] It is still intact with its original farm house dating back to the 1920s, barn, and fruit trees.
Campbell for many years had one of the most successful youth baseball programs in the country, reaching fourteen World Series from 1960 to 1987.
Campbell's youth baseball system dates to 1909, when Campbell High School formed its first team and won the Interurban Athletic Union championship. The community's first non-scholastic youth baseball organization was the Junior Hardball League, which began in 1947. In 1954, Campbell Little League and Campbell Pony League began operation, and Moreland Little League, which is located in west San Jose but historically has served many Campbell residents, started in 1959.