Palo Alto (Spanish for “tall tree”) is at the southeastern end of a scenic 31-mile stretch of I-280 heading northwest to San Francisco. It was named for a double-trunked redwood tree, a landmark used by travelers and explorers as early as 1769. A likeness of the tree appears on the seal of Stanford University. The opening of the university in 1891 provided the impetus for Palo Alto's growth, and the livelihoods of both city and university have remained closely intertwined. Learn More...