Morgan Hill, California


Morgan Hill is a city in Santa Clara County, California, at the southern tip of Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area. Morgan Hill is an affluent residential community, the seat of several high-tech companies, and a dining and recreational destination, owing to its luxury hospitality, wineries, and nature parks.
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History

Prior to the arrival of Spanish colonists, Santa Clara Valley had been inhabited by the Tamien nation of Ohlone people for more than 6,000 years. In that area, the Matalan tribe lived in a hunter-gatherer society.
Before the area was colonized as part of the Alta California province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, the 1772 Spanish expedition led by Pedro Fages and Father Juan Crespí, the two explorers camped in the area around Morgan Hill alongside Llagas Creek. The location of their camp subsequently became a campsite for Spanish soldiers on their way from New Spain to Alta California. With the founding of Santa Clara de Asís in 1777, the lands of present-day Morgan Hill were granted to the Roman Catholic Church.
Following Mexico's independence from Spain, land was redistributed to Mexican citizens across California and the land encompassing modern-day Morgan Hill was granted to Juan María Hernández, in 1835. In 1845, Martin Murphy Sr., an Irish-born Mexican citizen, acquired the area and named it Rancho Ojo del Agua de la Coche.
In 1850, Martin Murphy Sr.'s youngest son, Daniel Martin Murphy, married Maria Fisher, heiress of the neighboring Rancho Refugio de la Laguna Seca, thus combining the two estates. By 1870, the Murphy family had acquired around of the Morgan Hill area.
Martin Murphy Sr.'s middle son, Bernard Murphy died in 1853, leaving the majority of his estate to Martin Murphy Sr., but a substantial portion of the land in the Morgan Hill area to his surviving wife, Catherine O'Toole, who later married James Dunne.
By the late 1850s, Californio ranchero José María Malaguerra began cultivating vineyards in Madrone, then an independent township just north of Morgan Hill. In 1869, he founded the Malaguerra Winery, the oldest extant winery in Santa Clara Valley, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1875, Tiburcio Vásquez, famed Californio bandido, robbed 21-Mile House; the Vásquez Oak that stands there today is named in his memory.
In 1882, Daniel and Maria Murphy's daughter, Diana Helen Murphy, fell in love with Missouri businessman Hiram Morgan Hill. They married in secret, there are discrepancies on why this happened with some sources stating her father disapproved of the union and didn't think Hiram could be a rancher, and others stating it was due to the religious differences with his family being Quaker and her family being Roman Catholic. When Daniel Martin Murphy died, Diana and Hiram Morgan Hill inherited the surrounding the original Murphy estate, near Murphy's Peak. In 1884, the Hills built their weekend estate, as the family primarily lived in San Francisco, dubbed Villa Mira Monte.
By 1886, the family chose to live primarily at the Rancho Ojo del Agua de la Coche, as they jointly inherited around the estate. However, the move was temporary, as scandal caused by the marital complications of Hiram Morgan Hill's prominent socialite sister, Sarah Althea Hill, and her husband, Senator William Sharon, made the Hills a source of social ridicule, thus causing them to start spending the majority of their time between San Francisco and Washington, D.C., thus leaving their rancho untouched for long periods of time.
In 1892, Hiram Morgan Hill contracted land developer C. H. Phillips to divide and liquidate the Rancho Ojo del Agua de la Coche, only retaining the Villa Mira Monte estate and the surrounding, which the Hill family would hold until 1916. By 1898, a significant community had built around what was then known as Morgan Hill's Ranch, and a Southern Pacific Railroad station was built in the Huntington area. Rather than ask to stop at Huntington station, passengers would ask to stop at "Morgan Hill's Ranch", which eventually shortened to "Morgan Hill".
On November 10, 1906, the planned community, a result of the divisions of C. H. Phillips, was incorporated as the Town of Morgan Hill. Hiram Morgan and Diana Hill's only child, Diana Murphy Hill, married the French nobleman, Baron Hadouin de Reinach-Werth, and thus Baron Hadouin started to help manage Hiram Morgan Hill's properties between California and Nevada. However, the baron was called back to France to serve in the military and never returned. In 1913, Hiram Morgan Hill died at his Elko estate in Nevada, thus leaving his properties to his daughter. Diana Murphy Hill later remarried, in 1916, to Sir George Rhodes, thus causing the Murphy heiress of the Morgan Hill estate to relocate to the United Kingdom, taking her and Hiram Morgan Hill's daughter, Diana Murphy Hill, thus finally selling off the Villa Mira Monte and ending the Hill family presence in the community named after them.
In 1959, Morgan Hill annexed Madrone, turning the former township into a Morgan Hill's northernmost district, bordering San Jose and Coyote Valley.

Geography

Morgan Hill is approximately south of downtown San Jose, north of Gilroy, and inland from the Pacific coast. Lying in a roughly southern extension of the Santa Clara Valley, it is bounded by the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Diablo Range to the east. At the valley floor, Morgan Hill lies at an elevation of about above MSL.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city encompasses an area of, all land. Although there are no natural lakes or ponds within the city limits, there are several flood-control and water storage reservoirs in the adjacent hills which are operated by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, with recreational activities such as boating, etc., administered by the Santa Clara County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Morgan Hill is located within the seismically active San Francisco Bay region. The significant earthquakes in the region are generally associated with crustal movements along well-defined, active fault zones. The nearest known active faults are the San Andreas Fault, approximately southwest, and the Calaveras Fault, approximately northeast. Both faults have produced major earthquakes in the past, and have estimated maximum credible Richter magnitudes of 8.3 and 7.3, respectively. The 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake registered at a 6.2 magnitude.
Within Morgan Hill's area are a number of lakes and reservoirs, including Anderson Lake, Uvas Reservoir, Chesbro Reservoir, and Coyote Lake.
The Sargent-Berrocal Fault, a potentially active fault, lies away from the sites and has an estimated maximum credible Richter magnitude of 7.4. The Coyote Creek Fault is located in Morgan Hill and is classified as potentially active as well. In addition, several unnamed faults traverse the western slopes of the upland areas. Geomorphic evidence suggests that these faults were active during recent geologic time. However, these fault-related geomorphic features are not as fresh as those of the active Calaveras Fault and are considered to be somewhat older.
Morgan Hill is one of very few sources for a type of semi-precious gemstone marketed under the name "Morgan Hill poppy jasper". According to geologists, this local variety of orbicular jasper formed through a combination of volcanic and seismic activity on the slopes of El Toro. Known extant deposits of the mineral are located on private lands, not accessible to the public. A local business, El Toro Brewing Company, has a collection of poppy jasper on display at their rural Morgan Hill brewery and on a large bar top inlaid with the stone at their brewpub in downtown Morgan Hill. Examples are also on display at the Morgan Hill Museum and at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. The local Poppy Jasper Film Festival is also named after the mineral.
The highlight of local geography is El Toro. According to a local legend of the early 1900s, author Bret Harte named the hill when he climbed it and discovered two bulls fighting near the summit. The official name shown on the U.S. Geological Survey's maps is simply "El Toro", but it has been deemed "Murphy's Peak" by locals. Visitors, not aware of the origin of the town's name, often mistakenly assume that El Toro is "Morgan" Hill. It is in the Geographic Names Information System, maintained by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Elevation at the summit is about. The hill, overshadowing the town to the west, has been incorporated into the city's seal and official logo.

Neighborhoods

Morgan Hill is divided into numerous neighborhoods, which can in turn be divided into smaller communities or areas. Morgan Hill's principal neighborhoods are:

Climate

Due to the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean, Morgan Hill experiences a mild, Mediterranean climate. Temperatures range from an average midsummer maximum of to an average midwinter low of. The average annual precipitation is, and the summer months are typically dry. Snowfall is rare within Morgan Hill; there have only been two reported cases of snow. Summer months contain coastal fogs, while winter months have many sunny and partly cloudy days, with frequent breaks between rainstorms. The local terrain is inconducive to tornadoes, severe windstorms and thunderstorms. The local climate supports chaparral and grassland biomes, with stands of live oak at higher elevations.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Morgan Hill had a population of 45,483. The population density was. The racial makeup of Morgan Hill was 49.7% White, 2.2% African American, 1.4% Native American, 14.8% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 16.0% from other races, and 15.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33.1% of the population.
The census reported that 98.7% of the population lived in households, 0.9% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.5% were institutionalized.
There were 15,140 households, out of which 39.8% included children under the age of 18, 60.7% were married-couple households, 5.5% were cohabiting couple households, 21.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.4% had a male householder with no partner present. 16.9% of households were one person, and 8.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.96. There were 11,790 families.
The age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% aged 18 to 24, 24.5% aged 25 to 44, 28.1% aged 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 39.9years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males.
There were 15,567 housing units at an average density of, of which 15,140 were occupied. Of these, 71.8% were owner-occupied, and 28.2% were occupied by renters.
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $159,758, and the per capita income was $65,671. About 2.0% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 U.S. census reported that Morgan Hill had a population of 37,882. The population density was. The ethnic makeup of Morgan Hill was 24,713 White, 746 African American, 335 Native American, 3,852 Asian, 125 Pacific Islander, 5,779 from other races, and 2,332 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12,863 persons.
The Census reported that 37,496 people lived in households, 164 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 222 were institutionalized.
There were 12,326 households, out of which 5,538 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,581 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,469 had a female householder with no husband present, 646 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 660 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 89 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,998 households were made up of individuals, and 757 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04. There were 9,696 families ; the average family size was 3.39.
The population was spread out, with 10,838 people under the age of 18, 2,909 people aged 18 to 24, 10,000 people aged 25 to 44, 10,537 people aged 45 to 64, and 3,598 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
There were 12,859 housing units at an average density of, of which 8,793 were owner-occupied, and 3,533 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.6%. 26,148 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 11,348 people lived in rental housing units.
Substantial expansion of the population of Morgan Hill occurred from the late 1980s onward. This population expansion was enabled by the removal of a growth constraint in the form of sewage treatment capacity.

Economy

According to Forbes, Morgan Hill is one of the top 500 most expensive places to live in the United States. Business Insider ranked Morgan Hill as the 479th most expensive housing market in the United States, owing to its concentration of high-net-worth individuals and restrictive growth policies.
Morgan Hill, along with Saratoga, San Martin, and Gilroy make up the Santa Clara Valley AVA, a designated American Viticultural Area for wineries and vineyards within the historic Santa Clara Valley.
Numerous companies of other industries are based in Morgan Hill as well, such as Specialized Bicycle Components, a major global manufacturer of high performance bicycles.
Morgan Hill is served by The Morgan Hill Times, a weekly newspaper founded in 1894 and published by New SV Media. The biweekly Morgan Hill Life lifestyle publication, founded in 2013, is published by Morgan Hill Life, LLC.

Technology

Notable high tech companies that are headquartered or have their American headquarters in Morgan Hill include Anritsu, Flextronics, Velodyne, Hypnos Entertainment, Toray Advanced Composites, and Paramit Corporation, a high tech medical device manufacturer.
High tech companies that have research and development or manufacturing facilities in Morgan Hill include the Harris Corporation, Infineon Technologies, and NxEdge Inc., a semiconductor and business solutions company.

Top employers

According to the city's 2018 Employment Report, the top employers in the city are:
No.EmployerNo. of Employees
1Morgan Hill Unified School District900
2Anritsu480
3Specialized Bicycle Components380
4Paramit Corporation300
5CalDoor300
6NxEdge280
7Lusamerica Foods270
8Mission Bell Manufacturing250
9Toray Advanced Composites250
10Infineon Technologies240
11Safeway230
12Velodyne200

Culture

The Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival is an annual celebration established in 1980 by fire chief Brad Spencer, who wanted to raise money for his fire department affected by Prop 13. The festival primarily celebrates the mushroom as a homage to the city's original nickname, the Mushroom Capital of the World.
The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival is an annual event managed by the non-profit organization Poppy Jasper, Inc. It was established in 2004 by Mattie Scariot as a fundraiser on MHAT, Morgan Hill's public-access television channel. Since its establishment, PJIFF features films produced by people of multiple backgrounds.

Parks and recreation

Government

Morgan Hill's government is composed of the Morgan Hill City Council, its legislative branch; the mayor of Morgan Hill, its semi-executive branch; and the departments of Morgan Hill City Hall. The current mayor of Morgan Hill is Mark Turner, who was elected to office in November 2022. The current Morgan Hill City Manager is Christina Turner.
In the California State Legislature, Morgan Hill is in, and in.
Federally, Morgan Hill is in.
The Morgan Hill Police Department is tasked with ensuring public safety within the city's incorporated borders. Chief Shane Palsgrove was appointed in 2020.

Education

Public education

The Morgan Hill Unified School District serves the whole of Morgan Hill, as well as San Martin, California and Coyote Valley. MHUSD schools have variously been awarded as California Distinguished Schools and California Gold Ribbon Schools.
Morgan Hill's public high schools are:
Alongside its traditional schools, MHUSD, in special partnership with The Tech Interactive, a leading Silicon Valley institution, operates 4 specialized public "focus academies", through its innovative Tech Academies Initiative: Focus Academies will provide the opportunity for students to specialize their studies within broad fields, allowing for greater, in-depth learning within subjects within programs designed by noted subject matter experts, including scientists from The Tech Museum of Innovation and Stanford University medical professors.
  • Paradise Valley Engineering Academy
  • P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy
  • Jackson Academy of Math & Music
  • El Toro Health Science Academy
  • San Martin/Gwinn — Dual Immersion Multicultural Education
Morgan Hill also hosts a campus of Gavilan College.

Private education

Morgan Hill is also home to numerous private school, both religious and nonsectarian in nature.
Nonsectarian schools:
Religious schools:
  • Saint Catherine Catholic School
  • Crossroads Christian School
  • Spring Academy, alternative Christian school
  • Shadow Mountain Baptist School

Infrastructure

Public transportation

Public libraries

Santa Clara County Library District operates the Morgan Hill Library, which was renamed after former mayor Steve Tate.

Notable people

Early settlers

Culture

Sciences

Athletics

Sister cities

Morgan Hill has five sister city affiliations: