Biographical / Historical
Related Materials
Acquisition Information
Information about Access
Ownership & Copyright
Cite As
Description of the Collection
Language of Material:
Undetermined
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Leland Stanford collection
Identifier/Call Number: SC0512
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear Feet
(11 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1869-1975
Abstract: The collection contains primary and
secondary sources pertaining to the life of Leland Stanford and the history of Stanford
University's founding. Includes clippings, correspondence, articles, pamphlets, speeches,
scripts, reports, memorabilia, and copies or facsimiles of historical documents.
Biographical / Historical
Leland Stanford was born March 9, 1824 in Waltervliet Township, New York. He was admitted
to the practice of law in 1848 and married Jane Lathrop in 1850. In 1852 Stanford moved to
California where he first worked as a storekeeper in Mother Lode mining camps and later
became a successful Sacramento businessman. Stanford was a leader in organizing the
Republican party in California and was elected governor in 1861 at the age of 37. Early in
the 1860s Stanford joined with three other Sacramento merchants--Charles Crocker, Mark
Hopkins, and Collis P. Huntington--in the building of the Central Pacific Railroad. In 1884,
Leland and Jane founded Leland Stanford Jr. University in memory of their son. Stanford died
June 21, 1893 during his second term as United States Senator.
Related Materials
For materials created by Leland Stanford, see Stanford University Archives collection
number SC0033A (Leland Stanford Papers).
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were separated from the old Leland Stanford Papers (now
collection number SC0033A) when the collection was reprocessed in 1996.
Information about Access
This collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least 48 hours in
advance of intended use.
Ownership & Copyright
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must
be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special
Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright
owner, heir(s) or assigns. See:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of
digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Cite As
[Identification of item], Leland Stanford collection (SC0512). Dept. of Special Collections
and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Description of the Collection
This collection contains primary and secondary sources pertaining to the life of Leland
Stanford and the history of Stanford University's founding. Included are clippings,
correspondence, articles, pamphlets, speeches, scripts, reports, memorabilia, and copies or
facsimiles of historical documents. In addition to the business and political career of
Leland Stanford, subjects include his ideas on education, the naming of Palo Alto, Stanford
family genealogy, railroad history (especially the completion of the transcontinental
railroad), Thomas Hill and his painting "Driving the Last Spike," Eadweard Muybridge and the
invention of motion pictures, Stanford's residences in Sacramento and San Francisco, Vina
Ranch, and Warm Springs Ranch.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gold Spike.
Leland Stanford House (Sacramento, Calif.)
Palo Alto (Calif.)
Warm Springs Ranch (Calif.).
Vina Ranch (Calif.)
Clark, George A. (George Archibald)
Lampson, Robin
Kimball, Sarah Louise
Hill, Thomas A.
Jordan, David Starr
Scibird, Ruth.
Myrick, David F.
Central Pacific Railroad Company
Stanford, Leland
Stebbins, Horatio
Browne, Louise M.
Stanford, Arthur W.
Stanford, Grant Lansing.
Hemsing, Peter.
Muybridge, Eadweard, 1830-1904
Fisher, Helen Dwight.
Wooster, C. M.
Farnham, Wallace D.
Curtis, Edward.