Mountain View

Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, United States, stretching along San Francisco Bay and covering roughly 12 square miles. The layout includes residential neighborhoods, large business parks, and sprawling campuses with low-rise office buildings.

The settlement began in 1852 as a stagecoach station and grew from a farming center into a technology zone after William Shockley founded semiconductor operations here in 1956. This shift marked the beginning of the modern tech industry in the region.

The Computer History Museum displays a large collection of computing machines and digital devices spanning several decades of innovation. Throughout the community, workers from around the globe gather in modern office courtyards and cafés, creating a multilingual environment shaped by the technology industry.

The area connects through several Caltrain stations and highways including State Route 85 and US 101. Bicycle paths link different neighborhoods together, offering an alternative way to move between residential and work zones.

The location sits at the southern tip of the bay and offers direct views of salt marshes and tidal flats that create a natural contrast with modern office structures. Nearby stands one of the shortest runways of a major regional airport in Silicon Valley.

Location: Santa Clara County

Elevation above the sea: 32 m

Shares border with: Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Palo Alto

Website: http://mountainview.gov

GPS coordinates: 37.39278,-122.04194

Latest update: December 16, 2025 13:50