Stanford University Logo (Seal)

The relevance of the Palo Alto dates back to November 1769, when Gaspar de Portola and his party camped under a double redwood tree on the bank of the San Francisquito Creek. De Portola had served as a soldier in the Spanish Army before being appointed as the Governor of California from 1768 to 1770. From his base under the giant redwood his party explored San Francisco Bay . The redwood, at over 100 feet high, served as an easily identifiable landmark that guided them back to camp when out on excursions.

In 1876 Governor Leland Stanford purchased 650 acres of El Rancho San Francisquito for a country home and a farm for his trotting horses. This property later became the grounds for Stanford University . The Palo Alto that had been proudly standing there for countless generations became the centre piece for the Stanford University logo, not only for its historical significance, but for the virtues it symbolizes; strength, endurance, and independence.

One of the two trunks was destroyed in a flood during a storm in 1885, but the other remains to this day, its age estimated at over 1000 years.

The modern Stanford University Seal is only slightly removed from an earlier incarnation that first began appearing around 1920. It depicted more detailed landscaping around the Palo Alto than earlier seals, “Leland Stanford Junior University” around the top edge of the seal and “Organized 1891” around the lower edge. It was presented with or without the German motto of the university, “Die Luft Freiheit Weht” (“The Wind of Freedom Blows). The modern seal, adopted in 2002, simplified the landscaping and incorporated the German motto.

The Stanford University Seal appears formal and officious, and for that reason is used mainly in regards to important documents, endowing them with a sense of authority. It is not usually used for less formal communications relating to events and athletics, in such cases the famous red “S” is more commonly deemed appropriate.

The Seal has become one of the most enduring symbols of Stanford University . It represents the qualities the university aspires to, and like the “Tall Tree” itself, the university has become a beacon for others to follow.