Roble Hall

Roble Hall is a residential building at Stanford University designed in an H-shaped layout that houses around 310 students in single, double, and quad rooms. The structure includes a dining hall, study areas, and meeting spaces where residents gather for meals and academic work.

The original Roble Hall was built in 1891 as one of Stanford's first dormitories, but was replaced by the current structure completed between 1917 and 1918. The newer building retained the name while introducing a Spanish Colonial Revival design that remains the university's oldest continually used residence hall.

The residence supports diverse student activities through its lakeside courtyard, dining facilities, library, and seminar rooms for academic and social interactions.

The building underwent major seismic reinforcement in 1987 and additional structural work in 2006 to meet California's earthquake safety standards. Keep in mind this is an active residential building with restricted access, so visitors should respect privacy and check with the university for viewing policies.

The building's name comes from the Spanish word for oak tree, and the original pronunciation 'robe-leh' shifted over time to the Anglicized 'robe-lee' heard today. This linguistic change reflects how California place names evolved as English speakers adapted Spanish terminology to their own speech patterns.

Location: California

GPS coordinates: 37.42410,-122.17400

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:20