Professorville, Historic district in downtown Palo Alto, California.

Professorville is a historic district in downtown Palo Alto with many residential buildings featuring brown-shingled exteriors, gambrel roofs, and Colonial Revival elements. The tree-lined streets create a cohesive neighborhood from the early period of Stanford's development.

The area was founded in the late 1880s when Stanford professors decided to build homes on land outside university control. This development created an independent residential community separate from direct university administration.

The name comes from the Stanford professors who built here rather than lease university land. Brown-shingled houses with gambrel roofs line the streets, and Dutch Colonial designs dominate three blocks of Kingsley Avenue. The "Dead Houses," a cooperative named after the Grateful Dead, houses Stanford students and graduates; Sean Parker once lived there.

The district lies between Addison Avenue, Kingsley Avenue, Ramona Street, and Waverley Street, all within walking distance of Stanford University campus. This makes it easy for visitors to explore the area on foot.

The "Dead Houses", a cooperative housing community named after the Grateful Dead, is centered in Professorville and houses mainly Stanford students and recent graduates; past tenants include entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker.