National Register of Historic Places

Main Building

Torrance, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
October 12, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83003538

About this property

The Main Building of Torrance High School is located on the campus in Torrance, southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The Main Building was opened to students as Torrance School in 1917. On opening the "Main Building" in 1917, Torrance School accommodated both elementary and high school students in its first building. In 1923, with the opening of the new elementary school for kindergarten through sixth grade students, Torrance School was renamed Torrance High School. Torrance elementary schools were in the Los Angeles City School District until 1947, when they transferred to a new Torrance school district. In 1947 Torrance high schools moved to the Redondo Union High School District and then became a part of the modern Torrance Unified School District in 1948. The Main Building, built in 1917, was the first building on the campus, then known as the Torrance School and serving all grades. It is a two-story structure designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, and has architectural elements in the Classical Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles. The central two-story section is flanked by one-story wings, which all frame an outdoor courtyard patio. The main entrance is the dominant element of the building's facade. It consists of a set of layered elements: a large pediment with a cornice, a cofferred arch, a flat window with pediment above, a large arched fanlight, and a flat doorway portal. The doorway is flanked by paired columns. A rear addition was built in 1922, in the same style. In 1923, after the Torrance Elementary School was built on the campus, the original Torrance School Main Building was converted into a high school. The elementary school building was annexed to the high school in 1963, and was renamed the Torrance High School Annex building. The Main Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Torrance High School Annex (1923−1925), originally Torrance Elementary School. National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles County, California School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in California

Location

2200 W. Carson
Torrance, Los Angeles County, California
33.83095, -118.32126

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTEDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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0 mi
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Fern Avenue School
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Nearby Battles

Battle of Dominguez Ranch – Detail
1846Mexican-American War
4.5 mi
Battle of Dominguez Ranch
1846Mexican-American War
4.5 mi
Battle of Dominguez Rancho
1846Mexican-American War
5.1 mi
Rancho Dominguez — Battle of the Old Woman's Gun
1846Mexican-American War
5.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Main Building listed on the National Register?

Main Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 12, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Main Building?

Main Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Main Building?

The period of significance for Main Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Main Building?

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