Fremont, California
Fremont, California is on the southeastern end of the San Francisco Bay and is just high-tech enough to be part of the Silicon Valley region. The city has a population of over 213,000 and tends toward a young and affluent residential base. Even though it is the fourth-largest city, in terms of population, in the region, Fremont is also considered a healthy city. In 1999, the National Public Health Institute rated it as the healthiest large city in America for raising children (and the second-healthiest city overall). Anyone moving to Fremont can take advantage of this and more.
Economy:
In its early years, Fremont was an agricultural production center for the San Francisco area. This changed with the arrival of manufacturing plants, most notably a General Motors auto assembly factory. While GM remained the single biggest employer throughout the 1980s, high-tech companies began to arrive toward the end of that decade. The following years saw a dramatic growth in such industries as they spread from Silicon Valley. Today, manufacturing remains a major employment source, but it is shrinking in relation to technology. The biggest single employers in Fremont are New United Motor Manufacturing, Washington Hospital, the Fremont Unified School District, Oplink Communications, Smart Modular Technologies, Lam Research Corporation, Boston Scientific/Target Therapeutics, Inc., Seagate Magnetics, Western Digital and AXT Incorporated. These job opportunities are exciting as Fremont moving companies are bringing them to this city every day.
History:
Founded as Mission San Jose in 1797, Fremont has a long history. The early Mission flourished as a hub along the trade routes between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay and Mission Pass gold fields. Although the secularization of the Mission in 1834 led to a reduction in its importance, the presence of good land and water resources allowed for renewed growth by 1850. Eight communities had formed around the original Mission by that time, and the Washington Township was formed from them in 1853. The mostly rural area did not seek out incorporation until the 1950s, when urban growth throughout the region caused fears for residents. In 1956, five of the eight communities (Warm Springs, Mission San Jose, Niles, Irvington and Centerville) incorporated as the City of Fremont.
Tourism:
Visitors and residents can enjoy many attractions in Fremont. Outdoor fun is available from the Aqua Adventure Water Park (open May-September) and in Fremont’s Central Park (with trails, sports and golf available in 450 acres of land). Historical sites abound in this old city, including the Centerville Train Depot (in operation since 1909), the Mission San Jose and Cemetery (the original 1797 settlement’s site), the Higuera and Vallejo Adobes (dating from 1840 and 1842, respectively) and the Ardenwood Historic Farm (offering 1890s-farming exhibits and activities). Among the museums of Fremont are the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and Edison Theater, the Niles Depot Museum and the Museum of Local History. Fremont also offers a gallery district, a symphony orchestra, a theater company and three weekly Farmers Markets. You can get to Fremont by air at the nearby Oakland International Airport, the San Francisco International Airport or the Mineta San Jose International Airport. Trains run to San Francisco and Oakland, and bus service covers the city and the surrounding areas.
Colleges/Universities:
• Fremont Adult School
• Northwestern Polytechnic University
• Ohlone College
Interesting Facts:
• When it was incorporated in 1956, Fremont had the third-largest land area of any city in California.
• In 2006, the Oakland Athletics baseball team announced plans to build a new stadium in Fremont. This effort, however, ended in 2009 after numerous complaints from local residents and businesses.
• Fremont can claim to be the site of California’s oldest film industry, with filmmakers like Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy working in the area between 1912 and 1916.
Helpful Links:
• City of Fremont
• Fremont Chamber of Commerce
• Freemont Storage Facilities
• Freemont Real Estate
• Freemont Moving Guide