Almaden Valley, San Jose
Almaden Valley (often just called Almaden) is a neighborhood of about 37,000 in the south of San Jose, California, USA, roughly equivalent to the 95120 ZIP Code. The neighborhood is east of Cambrian Park, west of Santa Teresa, and south of Coleman Ave. It is named after the New Almaden Mines, which are themselves named after the mercury mine in Almadén, Spain.
Like its Spanish namesake, California's Almaden had a number of quicksilver mines. They produced mercury, which was used during gold extraction in the California Gold Rush, but all the mines are now disused and have been converted into Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Despite their closure, there still remains a high mercury content in the nearby creeks and rivers, and signs are posted alongside them warning people not to eat the fish. Even still, many of the names in Almaden still retain their mercury mine themes. For example, there are streets called Silver Lode Lane and Silver Mine Drive (the latter of which was renamed). Also, many places in Almaden still use the name Quicksilver.
As part of the Silicon Valley, the main industry in the neighborhood is now high technology research and development; IBM's Almaden Research Center is located there. The neighborhood is primarily upper-middle class, with homes owned by local professionals, scientists, and Silicon Valley executives. Schools in the area include:
High Schools:
Middle Schools:
- Bret Harte Middle School
- Castillero Middle School
Elementary Schools:
- Los Alamitos Elementary School
- Simonds Elementary School
- Graystone Elementary School
- Williams Elementary School
The major streets in the area are Almaden Expressway, Blossom Hill Road, and Highway 85. The valley is located between a small series of hills and the Santa Cruz Mountains, with Mount Umunhum dominating the local geography.