HP Garage - The Birthplace of Silicon Valley

Stop on Silicon Valley Tech Heritage Tour, a free self-guided tour.

This unassuming one-car garage at 367 Addison Avenue is where Silicon Valley's story truly began. In 1938, Stanford classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard rented this garage and adjoining house for $45 per month from David's landlord. With initial capital of just $538 and encouragement from their Stanford professor Frederick Terman (often called the Father of Silicon Valley), they founded Hewlett-Packard in 1939. Working in the garage, they built their first product, the HP200A audio oscillator, an innovative device that became the foundation of their electronics company. Their first major customer was Walt Disney Studios, which purchased eight HP200As to develop the groundbreaking stereophonic sound system for the animated film Fantasia. The HP Way, emphasizing innovation, quality, and employee respect, became a model for Silicon Valley culture. HP designated this location California Historical Landmark No. 976 in 1987, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. In 2000, HP purchased and restored the property to its 1930s appearance, preserving the garage, house, and even Packard's original workbench. While the garage is not open for interior tours, visitors can view it from the sidewalk and reflect on how two young engineers with limited resources launched what would become a technology empire, establishing the entrepreneurial template that countless others would follow.