G - The Garage

Been there ... done that 

It  happened in this Garage  

It was the year 1938. Prof. Frederick Terman  of Stanford university  encouraged two of his young Stanford graduates … a certain William  and David to start something of their own rather than go and seek a career with established companies.

The two students took the advice of their professor rather seriously . 

What was born out this advice was some amateur  Geeky work from this Garage. ( at the far corner of that sidewalk)

 As I type this blog post  on a HP laptop ( nope no ipad as yet J) , i get goosebumps when I relate to realize that William Hewlett and David Packard went on to establish one of the pioneering corporations in this garage that paved way to the Information technology revolution that has changed the way we now write, communicate and transact in this digital  world.

If you were not  a Trivia freak or out on a professional Pilgrimage like us or a  Computer History nerd, you would  never find or figure out this place.  

Despite  the ever so helpful GPS , reaching the street where HP garage is located was not really easy. 

We went around in circles in a leafy residential suburb that is possibly staff residences for people working at the Stanford university. 

 Although it was a lovely sunny day throughout , the dusk had set in by the time we reached Stanford university. Dusk in California brings with it chilling ocean winds. Unless you are warmly clothed for the evening, it can be a chilling experience being outdoors. With some quick photographs we depart the quiet leafy residential suburb saluting the spirit of entrepreneurship William and David set out for in 1938.

Tucked in a unassuming street in one of the residential areas around  Stanford university campus is this garage of what is still a private property closed to public. 

HP – the corporation could have easily brought this place off for a small change … wonder why they did not and chose to just erect a small plaque on the street. 

HP garage in the birthplace of what today is known as the silicon valley, that shaped the careers and destinations of many people of my generation.  

 Source : wikimedia

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/HP_garage_nat%27l_historic_landmark_plaque.JPG


And thus ended ou pilgrimage paying our obeisance to our professional dieties in the original Silicon valley.