Fact Brief: Was Silicon Valley once known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight?

Yes.

Before becoming a hub for technological innovation, the Santa Clara Valley was famous for its fruit trees, which gave it the nickname Valley of Heart’s Delight. 

After the Gold Rush — and the region’s subsequent population boom — Californians grew cherries, prunes, apricots, apples, citrus and more across the region. By the 1930s, more than half of the valley’s land was dedicated to fruit tree orchards. 

The Santa Clara Valley was one of the largest fruit producers in the world until the 1950s, as the region’s economy shifted toward manufacturing and technology. Today, 27,000 acres of farmland remain in the county, a 45% decline over the last 20 years according to Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.

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Sources

• San José Public Library Looking Back: Canning in the Valley of Heart’s Delight
• San José State University Valley of the Hearts Delight
• California Prunes The Valley of Heart’s Delight
• Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Preserving Our Heritage in the Valley of Heart’s Delight