Located near the front entrance to Milpitas City Hall is a dedication plaque with the names of the major city officials inscribed below the date. The building itself is very modern looking with plenty of glass and steel elements along with a natural colored concrete base to make it an eye-catching building from all angles. A very large fountain exists on the north side of the building.
Milpitas - In the Beginning
As one of the oldest settlements in Santa Clara Valley, Milpitas existed prior to incorporation as a community with a history. This community named Milpitas, which in Spanish means 'little cornfields,' has experienced remarkable growth since the first settlers began living here in 1852. In the early years, Milpitas became a stopping place for travelers between San Jose and Oakland. For the next 100, Milpitas was primarily a farming and livestock community. Crops included sugar beets, spinach, prunes, peas, strawberries, asparagus, potatoes, wheat, barley, flax, and of course corn. Dairying was also a large production in Milpitas. Small businesses grew in the community and Milpita' Main Street was a part of the main road traveled between San Jose and Stockton. In the 1950s Milpitas had 2,700 acres of orchards, 2,471 acres of truck farming, 311 acres of dairying, and 4,500 acress of dry farming. Milpitas' population in 1950 was 800, but served more than 4,200 people, mostly living on surrounding farms.
Today, the majority of the population in Milpitas is Asian descent and Milpitas is one of the fastest-growing and wealthiest cities in Silicon Valley.