History
In the early-1880s, the Stanfords had plans for a home where the Mausoleum now stands. Mrs. Stanford had landscape architect Rudolph Ulrich design a cactus garden, known then as the 'Arizona Garden.'. In 1884, the Stanford's 15-year old son died of typhoid fever while the family ws traveling in Italy. Plans to build the home were abandoned, but the garden remained. (See Mausoleum Trees). Half a century later, during World War II, garden maintenance was discontinued, and up to 80 percent of the specimens were lost.