| Conceived on November 29, 1777 and located | | | | tremendous hardships such as war, drought, |
| within the Santa Clara Valley, this | | | | earthquakes, and other disasters caused by |
| incredibly ethnically diverse city was known | | | | man and nature. In the city today, community |
| first as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. | | | | residents and tourists are quick to defend |
| San José was the first city recognized in | | | | San José against those who have negative |
| Nueva California, a Spanish colony which | | | | thoughts or opinions toward what they |
| later became Alta California. Before European | | | | consider to be the best city California has |
| settlers and Spanish soldiers came to occupy | | | | to offer. And San José does have a great |
| the area, it was the ancestral home of tribes | | | | deal to offer. Whether visitors might be |
| of the Ohlone people. Franciscan missionaries | | | | seeking to experience the history, the |
| with orders from Spain established a strong | | | | architecture, the art and culture, or even |
| Christian presence in 1769. Until then, the | | | | excitement and entertainments of the modern |
| Ohlone people did not consider themselves to | | | | day, any one of these pleasures or many |
| be one tribe. There were actually over 50 | | | | others can be found in San José. The |
| separate and unique nations with diverse | | | | historical sites of San José are one of the |
| religious and cultural beliefs and practices. | | | | biggest magnets that draw visitors to the |
| What remain of the nearly vanished Ohlone | | | | city. One such place is the Winchester |
| people today are also known as the Costanoan | | | | Mystery House, which also falls into other |
| and as the Muwekma Native American tribes. | | | | tourist categories such as Architecture, and |
| San José in the early 1800's was a thriving | | | | Botanical Garden. The home was built in 1884 |
| farming community that provided food and | | | | by Winchester Rifle Company heiress Sarah |
| shelter for the Mexican troops fighting | | | | Pardee Winchester. As the story is told, poor |
| against the rule of Spain during the war in | | | | Sarah suffered from severe superstitions and |
| 1825. In 1846, San José surrendered to the | | | | after the originally intended 8 rooms were |
| United States in order to avoid the | | | | complete she would continuously change the |
| destruction of the town and its people during | | | | plans. She was convinced that evil spirits |
| the Mexican-American War. The city of San | | | | would harm her if she ever stopped building |
| José became the capital of the newly | | | | and adding on to the house. Throughout the |
| acquired state of California in 1850. During | | | | house, there are tricks and traps that were |
| the civil war, there were a great many | | | | supposed to protect Sarah from all the |
| changes that took place in and around the | | | | spirits of people killed by Winchester |
| vicinity of San José. And the discovery of | | | | rifles. To learn more about the Winchester |
| gold in California would forever change the | | | | Mystery House and other attractions that only |
| city as well. In San José however, it was | | | | San José can offer, consider a visit to the |
| the coalmines and consequently the silver | | | | city. |
| discovered in them that would bring fortune | | | | |
| and fame to some men while bringing others to | | | | Looking for San Jose Real Estate? Visit to |
| the brink of destitution and beyond. Through | | | | find the real estate you want! |
| the centuries, San José has survived against | | | | |