National Register of Historic Places

University High School

Oakland, Alameda County, California
Listed
October 1, 1992
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
92001300

About this property

University High School was a public high school serving the northwestern portion of Oakland, California. It originally opened in 1923 at what was 5714 Grove Street. Due to the proximity of the campus to the City of Berkeley, "UNI" gained the reputation of the "feeder" high school of Oakland of students directly to the University of California. The high school was closed following World War II in 1948. In 1954, the campus was converted into first location of Oakland City College, which later became Merritt College. Merritt College moved to its new campus in 1967. In the early 1970s the location temporarily became a high school again, as Oakland Technical High School moved its students into the campus while its normal location was retrofitted for earthquake safety. At the time, many called this site "Old Tech," although Oakland Tech was actually opened at its current location in 1914, before University High School. After the "Tech" students moved back to their original campus, the building remained vacant for several years. At one point, it was used as the filming location for the 1987 film The Principal. The location has been rehabilitated and is now shared between the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute and the North Oakland Senior Center. Grove Street was subsequently renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Way. This site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Among its notable alumni is 1936 Olympic 400 meters Gold Medalist Archie Williams and his classmate, tennis great Don Budge .

Location

5714 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Oakland, Alameda County, California
37.84254, -122.26916

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Oakland Free Library-Alden Branch
Industrial
0.4 mi
South Berkeley Community Church
Industrial
0.6 mi
Remar Bakery
Industrial
0.6 mi
Oakland Free Library-Golden Gate Branch
Industrial
0.7 mi
Ladies' Relief Society Children's Home
Industrial
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was University High School listed on the National Register?

University High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1992.

What type of historic resource is University High School?

University High School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for University High School?

The period of significance for University High School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near University High School?

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