While manufacturing, sustainability, and technology serve as the foundation of Fremont today, it has not always been that way. From its original settlement as a Spanish mission to serving as California’s first film scene, Fremont has truly evolved to become the city that we know and love today. Look through our unique history below to find out what has made Fremont, Fremont!

Pre-1797

Thousands of years ago, the Ohlone People traveled to the land near what is now Mission San Jose and settled their permanent villages on higher ground near marshes, streams, or springs, where drinking water was available. The Ohlone People had a strong culture guided by religion, ceremony, minimized warfare, and the health of the land.

1797

Spaniard Father Fermin de Lasuen founded Mission San Jose, the 14th California Mission – located about 15 miles northeast of the Pueblo of San Jose near the foot of Mission Peak (an area that locals and visitors now know well as a hiking mecca). Mission San Jose survives today as a reminder of our Spanish heritage and a memorial to the thousands of Native Americans who lived, worked, and died there.

Photograph by C. E. Watkins

1846

Referred to by historians as “The Great Pathfinder,” John C. Frémont, our City’s namesake, mapped a trail through Mission Pass, providing American settlers access to the southeastern San Francisco Bay Area.

1853

Settlers established Washington Township, roping in the communities of Mission San Jose, Centerville, Niles, Irvington, and Warm Springs. For a few years, Washington Township was the political, social, and cultural epicenter of the entire county.

Artwork by David Rumsey

1912 to 1916

Fremont’s Niles district became the earliest home to California's motion picture industry. In fact, Academy Award winning actor, director and screenwriter, Charlie Chaplin filmed several movies in the Fremont area, most notably The Tramp.

1956

Under the leadership of former City councilmember Wally Pond, five individual townships – Mission San Jose, Centerville, Niles, Irvington, and Warm Springs – came together to form our beloved City of Fremont.

1980s to the late 1990s

This period marks the boom in Fremont’s high-tech employment, especially in the Warm Springs District, linking us to the famous Silicon Valley brand name. Fremont attracted many semiconductor and telecommunications firms and was also home to Apple’s first Mac computer manufacturing plant.

1999

By the end of the millennium, approximately 750 high tech companies opened their offices, headquarters, and production facilities in Fremont. These firms included 15 of the top 100 fastest-growing public companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

2010

Continuing the tradition of innovation in Fremont, Tesla Motors purchased the former NUMMI automobile plant and established its flagship manufacturing plant in Fremont. Tesla Motors is now Fremont’s largest manufacturer and employer.

2012

Fremont City Council gave the go-ahead for Fremont’s new Downtown Community Plan, which outlined the new City vision and set forth the land use and design guidelines within the District.

2017

Fremont achieved its Climate Action Plan goal to reduce municipal and community-wide greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 25%, from a 2005 baseline level, three years ahead of schedule! Fremont has since established a new goal of 55% GHG emissions reductions by 2030 and 100% emissions reduction by 2050.

2019

Fremont became one of the first cities nationwide to deploy a Tesla as a part of its police vehicle fleet in an effort to reduce GHG emissions and improve the cost efficiency of police pursuit vehicles. View the successful results of the one-year trial.

2020

The City of Fremont completed the transition to a District-based representation system. All six Council districts are now represented by a district-elected Councilmember.  

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