Book excerpt: The city of Santa Clara lies in the very heart of the Santa Clara Valley, directly south of San Francisco Bay. It is the home base of the internationally famous Santa Clara Swim Club, the equally famous synchronized swim team the Santa Clara Aquamaids, the International Swim Center, and the San Francisco 49ers professional football team. It boasts world-class parks, theaters, museums, acting groups, a featured chorale, a nationally ranked drum and bugle corps, a major theme park, a convention center, and a first-class hotel system for those who wish to visit. Legendary Locals of Santa Clara celebrates the people who guided all of this to its realization.