Everyone has heard of HP, and many have owned or do own products from its broad portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, services and more. The veteran electronics OEM has grown to be a $48 billion-dollar behemoth, but it started from almost nothing. In 1938, it was only a dream shared by two guys working in a garage in Palo Alto, CA.
I was invited for an exclusive tour of where it all began: 367 Addison Ave. The garage, along with a toolshed and the first floor of a house, can be found in a quaint little neighborhood in Palo Alto. HP bought and restored the building and grounds in order to preserve the rich history that it contains. On May 19, 1989, the state of California dubbed it "the birthplace of Silicon Valley," and set it apart as a California Historical Landmark. These small rooms capture a critical moment in the history of technology when two visionaries began their now legendary partnership.
A rental property for most of its history, he house was built in 1905. In 1938, newlyweds David and Lucile Packard rented the lower level of the house (their landlady lived upstairs). David’s good friend and collaborator Bill Hewlett moved into the toolshed behind the house, as it was a convenient and affordable way to stay close to his work.
Hewlett-Packard bought the house in 2000, and set to work turning the clock back by restoring the house to its original condition (while still complying with modern building codes). The company completed the project and celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on December 6, 2005.
Click on the image below to go to EETimes sister site EBN and take a virtual tour of the house, toolshed and garage where HP and its legacy began.
The Birthplace of Silicon Valley: HP Garage 
— Hailey Lynne McKeefry, Editor in Chief, EBN 
