All Titles

A magical place to grow up and an exceptionally lovely place to live, Los Gatos has transformed from its agrarian roots to an upscale community at the southern tip of Silicon Valley. With its sublime Mediterranean climate and stunning natural setting, the town has progressed while still valiantly protecting its small town character and customs. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake hit Los Gatos hard, creating a devastating litany of 481 damaged homes and businesses, many of them historic. Los Gatos made the decision to rebuild and restore what had been lost, with picture-perfect results.

Modern Folsom really began in the 1960s. Folsom was a planned town from the beginning in 1856 and initially had housing and businesses for workers at the Sacramento Valley Railroad depot, turntable, and maintenance shops. During the remaining decades of the 19th century to the mid-20th century, Folsom's fortunes fluctuated as it served as a hub for gold recovery, the railroad, Folsom Prison, hydropower, and agriculture. Folsom residents incorporated their town in 1946. Anticipating the changes that would come with construction of a large dam on their border, they wanted local control. From the 1960s to the present, Folsom's story continues as a tale about its people. Their dedication has revitalized the historic district, brought innovative employment, created arts and entertainment centers, and provided high-quality education, civic services, and exceptional recreation choices. Many of them contributed photographs and text to this book.

Davis has undergone a major transformation from the mid-20th century to today, growing from a small college town of about 3,000 residents and 1,500 students to a world-class university city of 80,000 area residents and 35,000 students. Major features of this revolution include the creation of a vibrant downtown, environmentally sensitive politics, diverse and innovative neighborhoods, and a citywide system of bike lanes. A thriving University of California at Davis campus was the economic dynamo that attracted talented students and faculty. Their environmentalist values spurred innovations in solar energy, waste recycling, bicycle infrastructure, subsidized public transit, energy-saving construction, and farm-to-fork localization of food supplies, among other new civic directions that remain an essential part of the city's culture today.