Stanford University's Historic Red Barn Gets A Facelift

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Stanford University’s Historic Red Barn Gets A Facelift

Stanford University was literally built upon the foundation of Leland Stanford's late-19th century Palo Alto Stock Farm.

But more than 100 years of history and numerous renovations had taken their toll upon the once cutting-edge farm--until the dedication and resourcefulness of three alumnae convinced donors and university officials that it was time for Stanford to live up to its roots once again.

PUBLISHED

January 16, 2009
4:33 am

WORDS BY

Josh Walker

Stanford University was literally built upon the foundation of Leland Stanford’s late-19th century Palo Alto Stock Farm.

But more than 100 years of history and numerous renovations had taken their toll upon the once cutting-edge farm–until the dedication and resourcefulness of three alumnae convinced donors and university officials that it was time for Stanford to live up to its roots once again.

The farm’s reputation was mostly built on the head of Electioneer, a stallion dubbed “world champion sire of world champions” and credited for siring nine of 13 Standardbred world champions bred at Leland Stanford’s Palo Alto Stock Farm. The legendary horse sired 166 colts throughout the late 1800s, all of them documented to trot a mile in less than 21