In 1991, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore paid $6 million for 24 Woodside acres; 30 years later, his estate placed the property under a permanent conservation easement

In 1991, the co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore, along with his wife Betty, acquired a historic property in Woodside, California, which spans 24 acres, for $6 million. Surrounded by redwoods, meadows, gardens, and natural springs, the property, Mountain Meadow, already had the reputation of being one of the best-known estates in the vicinity, until the Moores treated it as more than a private residence for the next three decades. They restored its historic buildings while preserving the landscape that made this estate famous.

Thirty years later, that same commitment to preserve the estate extended beyond their ownership of it as just a residence. Instead of preparing the land for development, the estate placed it under a legal conservation easement that prevented development and subdivision while protecting its historical and natural features, including its redwood groves, gardens, and open meadows. According to The Almanac publication, the easement permanently limits large-scale development while allowing the historic estate to continue as a private residence.

Restoring history instead of replacing it


Mountain Meadow was originally built in 1927 as a country retreat, featuring a Tudor Revival home by the architect Gardner Dailey. Over the years, notable landscape architects, such as Bruce Porter, John McLaren, and Thomas Church, contributed to the estate's landscaping and gardening, creating an important site of California architecture and landscape.

When the Moores purchased the estate, they devoted considerable resources to restoration instead of reconstruction. Reports indicate that over $15 million was invested in the modernization process meant to preserve the estate’s original style. The restoration team searched for period-appropriate windows, fixtures, and architectural materials so repairs would match the original design as closely as possible. At the same time, modern infrastructure was added without changing the estate's historic appearance. The restoration extended beyond the buildings. The redwood groves, meadows, gardens, walking trails, and open spaces remained central to the property, reflecting the Moores' long-standing interest in conservation as well as historic preservation.

The Moores also ensured that the land would remain protected long after their death. When Gordon and Betty Moore passed away in 2023, their estate transferred the property to the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) for conservation. Instead of getting the land prepared for development, the estate put it under a legal conservation easement that prevents development and subdivision while at the same time acting to protect its historical and natural features such as its redwood groves, gardens, and open meadows.

Future owners will become caretakers of a landscape shaped by nearly a century of history rather than developers free to remake it. The conservation easement means that although Mountain Meadow can continue to be privately owned, its character will remain protected.

A lasting conservation legacy

Based on information from The Almanac, the land on which Mountain Meadow stands has a history of more than 250 years in California. Prior to its development, the land had been occupied by Native Americans before it became part of a Mexican land grant of more than 12,000 acres. In the 1800s, the logging of redwood trees began to become an important industry in the area, and loggers tied the land to the Bourn family, owners of the nearby Filoli estate, a historic part of California.

The Moores were not only acquiring a historic house but also taking an important step towards preserving an old estate in Woodside. Meanwhile, the Peninsula Open Space Trust was formed and acquired the remaining 1,315 acres of the Phleger Estate and passed much of that land over to the National Park Service to establish a public open space around Mountain Meadow.