Benjamin Campbell, Campbell's founder, came west in 1846 with his family.  His father, William, is noted for having surveyed the cities of San Jose and Santa Clara and for starting a sawmill near the town of Saratoga.  In 1851, Benjamin Campbell bought 160 acres and planted it with hay and grain.  This acreage later became Campbell's historical downtown core.

Today, Campbell is home to almost 42,000 residents and is bordered on the east and north by San Jose, on the south by Los Gatos, and on the west by a small portion of Saratoga.  Campbell public schools belong to two districts, the Campbell Union Elementary School and the Campbell Union High School.  Of these districts, the schools located within the city are Campbell Middle School, Capri Elementary, Rosemary Elementary, Village school, and Westmont High School.