CAMPBELL
Located in the West Valley of Santa Clara, Campbell is a delightful community where tradition and progress combine in a successful blend. Although not a major high-tech city like many of its neighbors, Campbell is the original home of eBay and of its creator, Pierre Omidyar.
Campbell has grown from a small farming community with a population of approximately 5,000 to a progressive community with a population of over 38,000. Campbell's downtown is located near where Campbell Avenue intersects with the railroad.
Downtown Campbell is a vibrant shopping and entertainment district featuring many historical landmarks and over 100 shops, services, and restaurants for you to explore and enjoy. Centered around the historical birthplace of the City of Campbell, remnants of the past are visible on every block of Downtown Campbell as the exchanges of community life happen against the backdrop of classic architecture dating back to the early 1900's.In the early 1990s, the Ainsley House, a unique English Tudor-style house built in the 1930s, was moved from its original site at the corner of Hamilton and Bascom Avenues (the current site of eBay's headquarters) to the downtown quad and furnished with many of the Ainsley family's original furnishings. It has become the centerpiece for the Campbell Historical Museum, which houses additional exhibits in the nearby old firehouse. The Ainsley House was built in the style of English country cottages for John Colpitts Ainsley, a canning pioneer in Santa Clara County, which was at the time known for its vast spreads of fruit orchards.
Campbell is also home to the Pruneyard Shopping Center, a sprawling open-air retail complex which was involved in a famous U.S. Supreme Court case that established the extent of the right to free speech in California. The larger of the associated Pruneyard Towers, built in 1970, was for many years the tallest building between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
All year round, there's always something going on in Downtown Campbell. It is home to some of the South Bay's most popular festivities including Christmas in Campbell, a celebration of the holiday season throughout December.The Campbell Community Center is located on the northwest corner of Winchester and Campbell Avenues, in the building that used to be Campbell High School. The Redwood Tree, which stands at the corner of Winchester Boulevard and Campbell Avenue was originally planted there on May 11, 1903 by then President, Teddy Roosevelt. The city acquired the property on August 1, 1985, three years after the school shut down. The Heritage Theater, formerly the high school's auditorium, was reopened after renovations in 2004. The Community Center holds classes, and portions are available to be rented for various events.
The City of Campbell has something to offer everyone. It is close to major freeways for commuting and even light rail for those who prefer public transportation. With everything this city has to offer it deserves a special visit.