Elizabeth F. Gamble – A Garden with Legacy

In 1901, Edwin Percy Gamble, son of the co-founder of Procter & Gamble Co., visited Palo Alto when his eldest son enrolled at Stanford University. One year later, he moved his family from Kentucky to Palo Alto. The Main House and Carriage House were built in 1902 for the Gamble family for the sum of $6,039. It was the first house constructed south of Embarcadero Road, with the exception of the Seale Ranch. All 4 of the Gamble sons graduated from Stanford University, while Elizabeth attended Stanford for one year before transferring to and graduating from Wellesley College.

After college, Elizabeth spent the remainder of her life in the Gamble house. Her gardens became known throughout the community and she shared them generously. In 1971 Miss Gamble gave the estate to the City of Palo Alto with the stipulation that she and her brother, George, could live there throughout their lives. George died in 1972 and Elizabeth in 1981 at the age of 92. In 1985 the Palo Alto City Council approved a plan to lease the estate to the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden. The non-profit foundation has restored the formal gardens to the original plans, laid out the demonstration and working gardens, added irrigation, paths, and lighting. Necessary structural repairs have been made to the existing buildings, and the horticulturist's office, tool house and a gazebo have been added.

Palo Alto was a little town of 3,000 when the Gamble family first came here. Waverley Street was a dirt road. "When we built our house, it was outside the city limits," Miss Gamble reminisced. "We had to ask the city if we could get electricity. They said yes, but if there was a heavy call for it somewhere else, they'd have to cut us off."
The Gambles had a cow and horse in their spacious half-block lot, the first home in the neighborhood. In 1911, Miss Gamble said her family bought its first car.
Miss Gamble went to The Harker Day School in Palo Alto. When she finished high school at 16, "my mother thought I should go to Ireland to visit relatives for a year." She and her "Aunt Fanny" went to Germany and visited the King of Prussia. "I was trying to learn German. I can still hear that old gentleman (the King) yell to his servants, 'Where are my trousers?’," she said using her still excellent German to emphasize the King's words.

She was active in Red Cross work and for many years taught high school and junior high school at All Saints Episcopal Church. One of her proudest accomplishments is the lovely flowering gardens that still surround her home. She gave them generously to brighten hospital rooms, as well as for many auxiliary events.

Miss Gamble knew about every flower - her favorite "blooms in May or June. They have to have sun, and you need to divide them when they get too thick."

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