Packard's garage
Encyclopedia
The HP Garage is a private museum
where the company Hewlett-Packard
(HP) was founded. It is located at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto, California
. It is considered to be the "Birthplace of Silicon Valley
". It is a designated California historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The home, originally designated as 367 Addison Avenue, was first occupied in 1905 by Dr. John Spencer, his wife Ione, and their two adult daughters. Dr. Spencer was selected as the first mayor of Palo Alto in 1909. In 1918 the house was divided into two separate apartments, numbered 367 and 369.
In 1937, David "Dave" Packard
(then 25 years old) visited William "Bill" Hewlett
in Palo Alto and the pair had their first business meeting.
In 1938, newly married Dave and Lucile Packard moved into 367 Addison Ave, the first floor three-room apartment, with Bill Hewlett sleeping in the shed. Mrs. Spencer, now widowed, moved into the second floor apartment, 369 Addison. Hewlett and Packard began to use the one-car garage, with $538 in capital.
In 1939 Hewlett and Packard formed their partnership, with a coin toss creating the name Hewlett-Packard.
Hewlett-Packard's first product, built in the garage, was an audio oscillator, the HP200A
. One of Hewlett-Packard's first customers was Walt Disney Studios
, which purchased eight oscillators to test and certify the sound systems in theaters that were going to run the first major film released in stereophonic sound
, Fantasia
.
The HP garage is not open for public tours, but the property can be viewed from the sidewalk and driveway.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
where the company Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
(HP) was founded. It is located at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. It is considered to be the "Birthplace of Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
". It is a designated California historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The home, originally designated as 367 Addison Avenue, was first occupied in 1905 by Dr. John Spencer, his wife Ione, and their two adult daughters. Dr. Spencer was selected as the first mayor of Palo Alto in 1909. In 1918 the house was divided into two separate apartments, numbered 367 and 369.
In 1937, David "Dave" Packard
David Packard
David Packard was a co-founder of Hewlett-Packard , serving as president , CEO , and Chairman of the Board . He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1969–1971 during the Nixon administration...
(then 25 years old) visited William "Bill" Hewlett
William Reddington Hewlett
William Redington Hewlett was an engineer and the co-founder, with David Packard, of the Hewlett-Packard Company . He was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan where is father taught at the Univerisy of Michigan Medical School...
in Palo Alto and the pair had their first business meeting.
In 1938, newly married Dave and Lucile Packard moved into 367 Addison Ave, the first floor three-room apartment, with Bill Hewlett sleeping in the shed. Mrs. Spencer, now widowed, moved into the second floor apartment, 369 Addison. Hewlett and Packard began to use the one-car garage, with $538 in capital.
In 1939 Hewlett and Packard formed their partnership, with a coin toss creating the name Hewlett-Packard.
Hewlett-Packard's first product, built in the garage, was an audio oscillator, the HP200A
HP200A
The HP200A was the first product made by Hewlett-Packard and was manufactured in David Packard's garage in Palo Alto, California.It was a low-distortion audio oscillator used for testing sound equipment. It used the Wien bridge oscillator circuit, which had been the subject of Bill Hewlett's...
. One of Hewlett-Packard's first customers was Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney...
, which purchased eight oscillators to test and certify the sound systems in theaters that were going to run the first major film released in stereophonic sound
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
, Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
.
The HP garage is not open for public tours, but the property can be viewed from the sidewalk and driveway.
Historical Designations
- California registered landmark, 1987
- National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, 2007