Alviso is a small community in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. It is located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Drawbridge, at the north end of San José where it meets the southern end of the San Francisco Bay.

The Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek both end at Alviso, emptying into the Bay through Alviso Slough and Mud Slough. In 1983, Alviso was victim to severe flooding caused by El Niño.

History

Alviso was first settled in the 1700s. The community was named for Ignacio Alviso, the son of Corporal Domingo Alviso, one of the original members of the Anza expedition. Corporal Alviso lived but a short time after reaching San Francisco and was buried March 11, 1777 Alviso's descendants were granted the Rincon de Los Esteros holding. The city was incorporated on March 4, 1852, and ceased to exist when it was consolidated with the City of San Jose on March 12, 1968, following a 189 to 180 vote in favor of consolidation. The city's final census was in 1960 when it recorded a population of 1,174. The United States Postal Service still recognizes "Alviso" as the placename for mail sent to the Post Office in the area. Mail is not delivered in Alviso, but must be picked up at the post office.

Originally, Alviso was a boating and shipping port, the primary transportation link for the city of San José. That usage declined with the growth in railroad transportation between San Francisco and San José.

After the 1970s, Alviso was treated like a socioeconomic backwater of the prospering Silicon Valley and struggled to restore its former vitality. The floods of the early 1980s were devastating to Alviso. Water was as much as 10 feet (3 m) deep in some locations. A number of homes and businesses were destroyed. Some of the picturesque character of the town was lost.

Today, shipping and industry have left Alviso, leaving it mostly as a small residential neighborhood. Digital video recorder company TiVo is based in the community as well as Foundry Networks. Many salt evaporation ponds formerly owned by Cargill in the neighborhood are being converted to wetlands as part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Alviso in 1981	Alviso in 2007

Demographics

The Bureau of the Census provides demographic inforation for the 95002 Zip Code Tabulation Area, which includes the former City of Alviso. (See map of the 95002 Zip Code Tabulation Area.) As of the census of 2000, there were 2,128 people, 506 households, and 400 families residing in the CDP. There were 514 housing units. The racial makeup of the CDP was 40.8% White, 0.6% African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 50.5% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 75.4% of the population.

References

External links

• City of San José, Council District 4
• Alviso branch of San José Public Library system
• History of Alviso and Alviso Schools