Glossary · Local Life & Customs
The old nickname of Los Gatos, used in early 20th-century guides and histories for a town built on terraces at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
A 1904 San Jose guide and Eugene Sawyer’s 1922 county history both call Los Gatos the “Gem City of the Foothills.” Sawyer praised its climate, its views and its sheltered position at the mouth of the canyon.
The name lived on in local businesses such as the Gem City French Laundry on University Avenue, and the Chamber of Commerce still describes the town as a gem in the foothills.
Boosters and historians used the name for its setting in the foothills, its views and its mild climate.
Yes, informally; the Chamber of Commerce calls Los Gatos a gem in the foothills of Silicon Valley.