08/20/2026
Aerial Photo taken c. 1935.
This was the campus building footprint up until 1964. No overpass as students would simply walk across the street to access the boy’s gym, and athletic fields.
At the west end of the football field, barely visible, is the "field house" and (out of view) the tennis courts which front on Avenue 53. Both those features are still there today.
The shops can clearly be seen at the rear area of the auditorium, but note there are two residential properties immediately adjacent to the auditorium on Ave. 54. Shops were clearly an afterthought as they were squeezed into a very small space.
The large rectangular structure on the corner of Ave 54 and Irvington across from the auditorium was a commercial structure housing a small market and possibly some businesses. That structure, as well as all of the properties fronting the north side of Irvington were acquired and demolished by 1963.
At the north end of the main campus, you'll note that there are no tennis courts, or ' baseball' field as Hub St. traversed between Ave. 56 and 54. The original "Science" building (1916) faced Hub St. When those properties on the N. side of Hub St. were swallowed up to make room for the "girls" field and tennis courts It's safe to say that by the mid 40's, those properties fronting Hub St. were acquired as the campus made its first expansion.
Later, one home next to the tennis courts on Ave. 54 was acquired and used as the Home Ec/ Nursery. In '88, all the rest of the homes on Ave 54 to Baltimore St and all homes
on the S. side of Baltimore were acquired for the 1990 (present day) campus expansion which saw the demise of the original structure being replaced by "Panther Hall"
The Main Building fronts Ave. 54, behind which is the "Annex". Next to the main building is the Library Bldg. The library occupied most of the 2nd floor. The auditorium was a much later addition in the neoclassical architectural style. (c. between 1926-30.) The girl's gym (1924) still stands.
The Auditorium was the last grand structure added to the campus. The seating capacity was around 1000 and featured state of the art stage and screen facilities at the time of its initial construction. It was slated for demolition in the late ‘60’s but survived due to strong community involvement lead primarily by a vibrant and thriving Highland Park business community. One prominent businessman John C. Holland (Holland Electric & Appliance Co) led the fight to save the structure. Holland was subsequently elected to the Los Angeles City Council 1st District. The Auditorium was named in his honor in the ’70’s.
The campus was fragmented in preparation for the proposed re-model resulting in the acquisition and demolition of homes on Irvington Place. In the Summer of 1962, “Temporary classroom” bungalows were moved onto the newly vacated land to house student classrooms. Temporary classroom buildings were also moved onto the then girl’s athletic field at the north end of the campus. The original 1916 structure was spared, but he main building, the annex and library buildings were vacated and fenced in pending their demolition. The Auditorium was not included in the initial demolition plan, and 3 classrooms in the foyer were repurposed to house the Administrative offices.
Demolition was initiated in July of 1964, and the “new” (current) structure was completed by may of 1965. In September of that year, the new facility was opened. The bungalows on the ‘west’ campus remained in place and in use until their final removal in 2018.
