Few names are as recognizable in higher education as Stanford University—or technically Leland Stanford Jr. University, named for the deceased son of its founder, a railroad tycoon and former California governor. Stanford's campus resides on 8,180 acres, one of the largest universities in terms of land size in the entire country. Its academic specialties are too numerous to count and its alums have gone on to make a tremendous impact on the world across dozens of disciplines. There are athletes like Tiger Woods, John Elway, and John McEnroe. Former President Herbert Hoover graduated from here, as did Sandra Day O'Connor and Rishi Sunak. In business, science, and technology, there are alums including Sally Ride, Phil Knight, Sergey Brin, and Charles Schwab.
It's commonly referred to as "The Farm" since it resides on what was Leland Stanford’s farm before the university was founded in 1885. Today, the old red horse barn is still used by the equestrian team and the other brick "barn" (back then a wine-making facility) now houses restaurants and offices. Even though Stanford is renowned for its serious academic prowess, students also definitely know how to have fun. The Stanford Band is famous (and sometimes maligned) for its freewheeling style, complemented by a dancing redwood tree mascot (the school’s mascot is the Cardinal—the color, not the bird).
The university is an architectural and natural marvel. Its signature style is a unique mix of Mission and Romanesque styles called Richardsonian Romanesque, named for Henry Hobson Richardson whose protégé, Charles Allerton Coolidge, was the primary architect. Its defining characteristics are dramatic arched hallways connected with textured sandstone buildings and eye-catching red-tiled roofs. Spend just one minute in the Main Quad and it's easy to understand the style.
