Santa Clara got a jump on the rest of Silicon Valley when the Spaniards founded mission Santa Clara in 1777 near what was to become San Jose. Today the Mission Site is the home of Santa Clara University. Nearby you'll find the Triton Museum of Art, and a very small, quaint downtown setting. Currently the city is involved in a contentious effort to develop a downtown plan. Santa Clara has its own convention center. The neighborhoods are older than those in Sunnyvale and Cupertino, and the area along Highway 101 is heavily industrialized. The numerous ethnic restaurants and shops on the El Camino reflect the residents diverse backgrounds. Housing is more affordable than in Sunnyvale or Mountainview. Families will find Santa Clara convenient to its most well known attraction, Great America, a giant amusement park north of Highway 101.