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Fremont, California

"The Heart of the Bay"

Formed from five small towns in 1956, Fremont became a tech manufacturing powerhouse and one of the most diverse cities in America — home to Tesla's factory and the oldest olive grove in California.

Founded 1956 | Population 227,065 | Peak 227,065 (2024) | County Alameda County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Fremont, California

2010Tesla Manufacturing Begins: Tesla Motors acquired the former NUMMI auto plant and began producing electric vehicles in Fremont, eventually making over a million cars per year and transforming the city's identity.

1956Five Towns Incorporate as Fremont: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San José, and Warm Springs merged to form Fremont, named after explorer John C. Frémont.

1962GM Assembly Plant Opens: General Motors built an assembly plant that later became the NUMMI joint venture with Toyota, establishing Fremont as an auto manufacturing center.

1797Mission San José Founded: Spanish Franciscans established Mission San José de Guadalupe, one of the most prosperous of California's 21 missions.

2020Asian American Majority City: Fremont became one of the only large cities in the continental U.S. with a majority Asian American population, reflecting decades of immigration from India, China, and other Asian countries.

1913Niles Film Studios: Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy Anderson filmed some of the earliest movies in the Niles district, making it a brief Hollywood rival.

1984NUMMI Joint Venture: GM and Toyota created New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) in the Fremont plant, pioneering Japanese lean manufacturing in America.

2000Tech Corridor Development: Fremont attracted Silicon Valley tech companies seeking more affordable space, with data centers and hardware firms establishing operations.

1868Hayward Fault Earthquake: A major earthquake along the Hayward Fault caused significant damage in the East Bay, including the Fremont area.

1960Suburban Growth: Fremont grew rapidly from 22,000 to over 100,000 residents in its first decade as Bay Area suburbs expanded south.

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Population Over Time

Complete Historical Timeline

1797 Culture

Mission San José founded

1868 Disaster

Major Hayward Fault earthquake

1913 Culture

Charlie Chaplin films in Niles

1956 Government

Five towns merge to form Fremont

1962 Industry

GM assembly plant opens

1984 Industry

NUMMI joint venture with Toyota

2000 Business

Tech companies establish operations

2010 Business

Tesla begins manufacturing EVs

2020 Social

Majority Asian American population

2024 Government

Population surpasses 227,000

Did You Know?

Tesla's Fremont factory produces over a million electric vehicles per year, making it one of the most productive auto plants in America.

Charlie Chaplin made some of his earliest films in Fremont's Niles district between 1913 and 1916, before Hollywood became the center of the film industry.

Fremont is one of the only large cities in the continental United States where Asian Americans form a majority of the population.

Famous People from Fremont, California

Helen Wills

Writer, Poet · Born Oct 6, 1905 · Died Jan 1, 1998 (age 92)

Len Wiseman

Screenwriter, Writer · Born Mar 4, 1973 · Age 52

Pat Tillman

Soldier, American Football Player · Born Nov 6, 1976 · Died Apr 22, 2004 (age 27)

Karen Chen

Figure Skater · Born Aug 16, 1999 · Age 26

Don Hertzfeldt

Screenwriter, Writer · Born Aug 1, 1976 · Age 49

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