The Main Quad features sandstone walls and red tile roofs built in the style of a California mission. Jane and Leland Stanford commissioned the design to honor their son, who died as a teenager while traveling in Italy. When Leland Stanford died shortly after construction began, Jane Stanford insisted the project continue despite a financial panic that threatened the family fortune. She sold her jewels to keep workers paid. Today, the quad serves as the academic and symbolic heart of the university.
Stanford Main Quad
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