The City of Palo Alto is more than 100 years old, and is named after a majestic 1000 (not 250) year old coastal redwood tree along San Francisquito Creek, where early Spanish explorers settled. The blend of business and residential areas anchored by a vibrant downtown defines Palo Alto’s unique character. A charming mixture of old and new, Palo Alto’s tree-lined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage. At the same time, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technological development. This exciting mix of tradition and innovation makes Palo Alto an extraordinary place in which to operate a business. Unique among California cities, Palo Alto is a full-service municipality that owns and operates its gas, electric, water, sewer, refuse and storm drainage services at very competitive rates for its customers.
As befits the City known as "Birthplace of the Silicon Valley," the City has developed a 31-mile dark fiber ring for ultra-fast Internet access. Complementing its exciting and innovative business community, Palo Alto’s residents are highly educated, politically aware and culturally sophisticated. An abundance of local pride and numerous neighborhood organizations contribute to Palo Alto’s charming historic and upscale commercial and residential areas. Characteristic of Palo Alto is the care taken to protect open space and parkland. Palo Alto has a remarkable number of City-owned parks for its size (34 at last count) and nearly one-third of its 26 square miles is open space. Palo Alto’s San Francisco Bay location and natural environment offer the opportunity to enjoy bird and aquatic life in a natural habitat. Proximity to Stanford University with its cultural and educational offerings add to the vibrance, innate charm and beauty of Palo Alto.
