Construction of the Quad in the 1880's, using sandstone cut from the Stanford Quarry.

Rare sandstone from Stanford University

In the 1880's, California Governor Leland Stanford, who made his fortune in the construction of the western portion of the transcontinental railroad, had a special train track laid from a quarry in the nearby foothills down to the University site to transport the stones, where they were individually hewn and shaped by hand. At the site, skilled craftsmen cut the blocks to fit the distinctive design of classic arches, filigree and columns. Many of the blocks used in Larry Wilson's work today still show the marks left by the chisels of these original stonemasons.

The Stanford Quarry was closed more than fifty years ago, making the sandstone irreplaceable and highly valued by the University. The pieces used by Larry Wilson's Design House are rare artifacts of this historic site, reclaimed from the buildings damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Under a restricted licensing arrangement with Stanford, rare, custom carved pieces of this original sandstone are available through Larry Wilson's Design House to qualified affiliates of the University. Please contact us to inquire.