Sunnyvale Collection Books

665 W. Olive Ave
Sunnyvale, CA
94086
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The Sunnyvale Collection
Sunnyvale - Silicon Valley - San Francisco

It is the mission of the Sunnyvale Collection to preserve and share a record of the evolution of our community, past and present.
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to 1879 1880-1899 1900-1919 1920-1939 1940-1959 1960-1979 1980+

1940s
War-time economy begins a permanent shift from fruit farming to high-tech industry in the Santa Clara Valley

As defense industry causes a shortage of agricultural workers, large-scale immigration from Mexico to the Santa Clara Valley begins

Navy blimps based at Moffett Field patrol the California coast

Workforce at Joshua Hendy Ironworks swells to 7,500. Massive marine steam engines were the main product, but development of naval guns, and later rocket launchers, took place at Hendy

1942
Executive Order 9066 directed that residents of Japanese descent be sent to internment camps

1944
City of Sunnyvale votes to urge Congress to permanently exclude Japanese from California. Rescinded 2001
1949
Sunnyvale government changes to a city manager system. Board of Trustees changed to a city council

Late 1940s
Orchards begin to be cleared away for homes, factories and office parks. Joseph Eichler best known builder of the period

1950
Police and fire services merged into Public Safety Department

1951
Tornado destroys or damages a number of Sunnyvale homes and businesses

1956
Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed moves its headquarters to Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale Historical Society organized

Sunnyvale High School opens

next > 1960-1979

Photographs courtesy of the California History Center, except:
Eichler ad: Eichler, Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream by Paul Adamson, compiled by Marty Arbunich, Gibbs Smith 2002

Information chiefly from:
Mary Jo Ignoffo. (1994). Sunnyvale, from the City of Destiny to the Heart of Silicon Valley. Cupertino, California: California History Center & Foundation.

		1940s War-time economy begins a permanent shift from fruit farming to high-tech industry in the Santa Clara Valley As defense industry causes a shortage of agricultural workers, large-scale immigration from Mexico to the Santa Clara Valley begins
		Navy blimps based at Moffett Field patrol the California coast
		Workforce at Joshua Hendy Ironworks swells to 7,500. Massive marine steam engines were the main product, but development of naval guns, and later rocket launchers, took place at Hendy
		1942 Executive Order 9066 directed that residents of Japanese descent be sent to internment camps 1944 City of Sunnyvale votes to urge Congress to permanently exclude Japanese from California. Rescinded 2001 1949 Sunnyvale government changes to a city manager system. Board of Trustees changed to a city council
		Late 1940s Orchards begin to be cleared away for homes, factories and office parks. Joseph Eichler best known builder of the period
		1950 Police and fire services merged into Public Safety Department
		1951 Tornado destroys or damages a number of Sunnyvale homes and businesses
		1956 Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed moves its headquarters to Sunnyvale Sunnyvale Historical Society organized Sunnyvale High School opens