There is District 3 and then there are the suburbs, the other nine Council districts.

We seem to have little understanding of who we are or what we do.

We are not like any of the other Districts.

District 3 is the Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, a colonial outpost of Spain.

We are as old and as significant as many communities on the East Coast.

In 1850 San Jose became America’s first civil settlement, located on the edge of the frontier.

We ignore our heritage and our significance.

District 3 is our urban core.

D3  has two rivers and three highways, including El Camino Real.

D3 is a transportation hub, adjacent to an international airport and home to Diridon Station, a rail line dating to 1864.

D3 has the Federal Courthouse, the County courthouses and the Jail.

D3 has the County Admin building and the San Jose City Hall.

D3 is home to the SJ Police Department and the County Sheriff’s Department.

D3 has the Army reserve.

D3 has all three of San Jose’s National Historic Districts and many other smaller historic areas such as Japantown.

D3 has a substantial portion of the historic landmarks in the City.

D3 has the Cathedral, the church for the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose.

D3 has a major university, one of California’s oldest schools.

D3 has the US Patent Office, one of only two in America. 

D3 has several of San Jose’s major entertainment venues.

D3 has a Downtown with major hotels and businesses.

I could go on but I think you get my point.

Things happen here all the time.

D3 is not like anyplace else.