Historic Districts

The City of San Jose defines a Historic district as "a geographically definable area of urban or rural character, possessing a significant concentration or continuity of site, building, structures or objects unified by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development." 

Alviso National Register District     Map (PDF)

Downtown Commercial National Register District     Map (PDF)

Hensley City Landmark Historic District     Map (PDF)

Lakehouse City Landmark Historic District     Map (PDF)

New Amaden National Register Distict     Map (PDF)

St. James Square National Historic District     Map (PDF)

River Street City Landmark Historic District     Map (PDF)

Reed City Landmark Historic District     Map (PDF)

The Alameda (right-of-way) City Landmark District   Map (PDF)

Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas represent neighborhoods containing significant historical and architectural structures often reflecting a particular period of design or architectural style. They are chosen as a grouping of structures viewed as a whole rather than from the importance of an individual building. The historic significance of these areas generally reflects developmental patterns of growth in the city rather than associations with individuals or events. 

Palm Haven Conservation Area     Map (PDF)

Hanchett and Hester Park Conservation Area     Map (PDF)

Martha Gardens Conservation Area (PDF)       Map (PDF)

Naglee Park Conservation Area     Map (PDF)

Market-Almaden Conservation Area    Map (PDF)

Some other notable neighborhoods

Japantown Over one hundred years old, this still vibrant neighborhood is one of only three remaining Japantowns in the United States. 

Northside neighborhood     Map (PDF)  A large mostly residential district northeast of the downtown core which is currently working to become a City Conservation District.

Vendome neighborhood  A small neighorhood with some spectacular homes south of Taylor between N 1st, and HWY 87.  The website features an extensive collection of pictures and postcards from the old Vendome Hotel, as well as various ephemera (menus from the hotel, hotel floor plans and so on).

College Park neighborhood   Map (PDF) Across the Alameda from Hanchett-Hester Park, and bordered by Lenzen, Villa and Stockton, this neighborhood includes Hester School which first opened in 1861.