History of San Jose, California many orchards in the Santa Clara Valley, which emitted a delightful smell of ripening fruit, that a common nickname for the Santa Clara Valley was "The Valley of Heart's Delight". Food Machinery Corporation (FMC) was founded in nearby Los Gatos as the "Bean Spray Pump Company" in 1884 and moved to San Jose in 1903. In 1941 the company received an order from the United States War Department for one thousand LVTs, bringing defense contracts to San Jose for the first time. After World War II, FMC continued as a defense contractor, with the San Jose facilities designing and manufacturing
Government of San Jose Government of San Jose The Government of San Jose operates as a charter city within California law under the "San José City Charter". The elected government of the city, which operates as a council–manager government, is composed of the Mayor of San José (currently Sam Liccardo), the San José City Council, and several other elected offices. The greater public administration of San Jose includes numerous entities, including the San Jose Police Department, the San Jose Fire Department, and the San José Public Library, as well as a mix of state and county level institutions. San Jose utilizes a council–manager government,