Location, Location, Location
Once a Hub for the South Bay
Because of its location at the mouth of the Guadalupe River, Alviso was deemed the ideal location for a seaport. In the 1830s and 40s, it was the only port where raw materials and crops could be shipped from the Santa Clara Valley to San Francisco. Following the Gold Rush of 1849, steamships also provided passenger access to San Francisco.
A series of events, however, diminished Alviso’s prospects. Relocation of the state capitol from San Jose to Sacramento in the 1850s caused a decline in growth in the South Bay. Winter flooding and muddy conditions also plagued the port’s viability. The completion of the Southern Pacific Coast Railroad in 1864 brought an end to water transportation. Alviso ceased to be a major port and turned its attention to other economic endeavors.
Marker can be reached from Hope Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
