Very Rare Early Palo Alto and Stanford University Directory
With Folding Map
Rare Palo Alto Directory, the second of two directories issued by Frank D. Hunt, the earlier one for 1896-97 known only in a single example, held at the Huntington Library.
The folding map, Tobey's Town Map of Palo Alto, Santa Clara Co., Cal., is styled "made for H. W. Simkins, Stationer, Palo Alto, Cal." and is quite detailed for a directory map. It shows numbered blocks, street names, water mains, elevation contours, railroad station, and the Arroyo de San Francisquito. This is the first example of the map we have handled.
In addition to the usual listings of town residents, the directory contains a complete listing of students at Stanford University, including name, major and residence address.
Numerous advertisements for local Palo Alto businesses appear at front and back, including on the inside of the covers.
The name of Palo Alto, Spanish for tall tree, is based on a redwood described by Franciso Palóu in 1774 which was adopted by Leland Stanford for his country estate in 1876. The town itself was laid out by Timothy Hopkins in 1892.
Not in Richard Quebedeaux's Prime Sources of California and Nevada Local History, 1850-1906, which lists Rufus Buck's Directory of Stanford University and Palo Alto (1895).
Rarity
Very rare in the market. OCLC locates only three copies, at Stanford, the Huntington, and Yale. Not in Rocq.