Allied Arts Guild is a beautiful and historic garden oasis, home to unique shops, open artists' studios, and a charming café. Since 1929, Allied Arts Guild has provided an inspiring environment for working artists, beautiful gardens and shops for visitors, and support for critically ill children at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
The Allied Arts Guild Auxiliary is a volunteer organization whose purpose is providing support for the benefit of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and for the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children.The membership is comprised of women who enjoy giving their time working at Allied Arts Guild, whose profits are donated to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for uncompensated care, and to “Tally Ho,” the organization’s annual fundraising event benefiting the special projects of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
Through ownership of the Allied Arts Guild, the Allied Arts Guild Auxiliary is proud to say that we are supporting the arts, protecting an historic California landmark and providing support to critically ill children at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
History
Allied Arts Guild stands on part of what was once a vast 35,250-acre land grant dating back to the late 1700s. A king of Spain, probably Charles IV, ceded the property to Don Jose Arguello, commander of the Presidio of San Francisco. It was called Rancho de las Pulgas, literally "Ranch of the Fleas"!
In 1929, wealthy art lovers Delight and Garfield Merner bought 3.5 acres of the land located at the edge of Menlo Park. Working closely with architect Gardner Dailey and artist Pedro de Lemos, they began to realize their dream of creating an arts guild in California. The Merners' goals were to provide a serene, beautiful workplace for artists; to encourage the crafting of handsome objects for everyday use; and to support all peasant or folk art, especially that of early California.
The gardens were inspired by the gardens the couple had visited in Spain and were named in the Spanish manner: The Court of Abundance, at the entrance to the main building; The Garden of Delight, or Blue Garden; and Cervantes Court, the inner courtyard featuring a mural of Cervantes dedicating "Don Quixote" to his patron, Count de Lemos.
(image source: www.herecomestheguide.com)
Paths were paved with stones from nearby San Francisquito Creek; and the tiles and objects of art used to decorate the walls were brought from Spain, Tunis and Morocco. Mosaics and frescoes were executed by Maxine Albro and the de Lemos family. The Guild's logo was designed by Mr. de Lemos, who arranged the letters AAG in a monogram depicting a boat sailing upon a tranquil sea. 
(image source: www.herecomestheguide.com)
The Merners retired from active operation of Allied Arts Guild in 1935 and leased the complex to the Home's Senior Auxiliary. Later, Allied Arts Guild Associates, Inc. bought the property and continued to operate it for the Home's benefit. In 1951, the Allied Arts Auxiliary assumed its trusteeship and management. This auxiliary has been landlord, shopkeeper, supporter of the arts and protector of this historic site since that time. The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, once the Convalescent Home, receives all profits from Allied Arts Guild for aid to critically ill children.
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