This photograph of the Old Civic Center, formerly located between Fifth and Sixth Streets and Orange Avenue, was built on the site of one of the city’s first grammar schools. Featured here are members of the Grand Army of the Republic’s Women’s Relief Corps standing in front of Memorial Hall in 1931. The building in the background is City Hall. The old Civic Center, known then as the “new city hall”, opened its doors in 1923 and served as Huntington Beach’s official seat of government for 51 years The original Pacific City city hall--predating the city’s 1909 incorporation, operated out of a building at 122 Main Street. The building that stands now at that address houses an Italian ice cream shop.
The solid brick New City Hall, under construction circa 1922, from a different angle, showing the front entrance. By contrast, the Memorial Hall is in the background.
In this photo of the finished city hall building, (ca. 1940's), the City and State seal plaques are featured above arched niches at the entrance . When fully finished, the Old Civic Center included the city hall, Memorial Hall, (built in honor of Veterans), fire and police departments, the chamber of commerce and the Horseshoe Clubhouse, which is located on the present-day Triangle Park. The building , which was completed in 1923, was located near the current Main Street Library and Triangle Park off Main Street.
In 1933, the Long Beach earthquake damaged the building, causing city staff to move into tents situated around the civic center for a short period of time. These tents were reminiscent of the city’s earliest years when housing construction could not keep pace with the growing population. This “Cardboard Alley” was located for a while on Triangle park, until the city council ordered residents to vacate in July of 1923.
By 1968, the city purchased the current civic center site at Main Street and what was then called Mansion Avenue (currently Yorktown), across from the Huntington Beach High School. The new building would open its doors in 1974.
By the early 1970’s, the city departments were spread out into multiple buildings and planning began for the new Civic Center on Main Street. A decision was made to demolish the old civic center and redevelop the land as housing. Now located on this property are condominiums. The brick resulting from the demolition was salvaged.
New Civic Center, located at Main Street and Yorktown Avenue, during construction, 1974
After the original city center was demolished in 1974, the salvaged early City and State seals were moved to a parking lot in the city’s public works yard. Pictured above are the American eagles that used to adorn the front of the city hall building, as well as the seals that were saved from the wreckage.
"City Hall" building at the new Civic Center as it appears today.
The Huntington Beach High School’s founding was one of uncertainty and political opposition. When the first school district was formed in 1902, bonds for a permanent school building were voted upon and then declared “illegal” over and over for the next four years, amidst much local controversy.
Note the oil derricks at the far right of the picture. They were located in the fields north of the school which was in the area of the original strikes.
The present day’s Ethel Dwyer Middle School buildings were constructed in 1935, but the school’s history as the first grammar school in Huntington Beach began around thirty years before that.
The picture above is how the school looks now, after the installation of some very controversial and unwanted solar panels in 2011. (Many local residents and students staged a protest.)
This photograph of the Old Civic Center, formerly located between Fifth and Sixth Streets and Orange Avenue, was built on the site of one of the city’s first grammar schools. Featured here are members of the Grand Army of the Republic’s Women’s Relief Corps standing in front of Memorial Hall in 1931. The building in the background is City Hall. The old Civic Center, known then as the “new city hall”, opened its doors in 1923 and served as Huntington Beach’s official seat of government for 51 years The original Pacific City city hall--predating the city’s 1909 incorporation, operated out of a building at 122 Main Street. The building that stands now at that address houses an Italian ice cream shop.
The solid brick New City Hall, under construction circa 1922, from a different angle, showing the front entrance. By contrast, the Memorial Hall is in the background.
In this photo of the finished city hall building, (ca. 1940's), the City and State seal plaques are featured above arched niches at the entrance . When fully finished, the Old Civic Center included the city hall, Memorial Hall, (built in honor of Veterans), fire and police departments, the chamber of commerce and the Horseshoe Clubhouse, which is located on the present-day Triangle Park. The building , which was completed in 1923, was located near the current Main Street Library and Triangle Park off Main Street.
In 1933, the Long Beach earthquake damaged the building, causing city staff to move into tents situated around the civic center for a short period of time. These tents were reminiscent of the city’s earliest years when housing construction could not keep pace with the growing population. This “Cardboard Alley” was located for a while on Triangle park, until the city council ordered residents to vacate in July of 1923.
By 1968, the city purchased the current civic center site at Main Street and what was then called Mansion Avenue (currently Yorktown), across from the Huntington Beach High School. The new building would open its doors in 1974.
By the early 1970’s, the city departments were spread out into multiple buildings and planning began for the new Civic Center on Main Street. A decision was made to demolish the old civic center and redevelop the land as housing. Now located on this property are condominiums. The brick resulting from the demolition was salvaged.
New Civic Center, located at Main Street and Yorktown Avenue, during construction, 1974
After the original city center was demolished in 1974, the salvaged early City and State seals were moved to a parking lot in the city’s public works yard. Pictured above are the American eagles that used to adorn the front of the city hall building, as well as the seals that were saved from the wreckage.
"City Hall" building at the new Civic Center as it appears today.
The Huntington Beach High School’s founding was one of uncertainty and political opposition. When the first school district was formed in 1902, bonds for a permanent school building were voted upon and then declared “illegal” over and over for the next four years, amidst much local controversy.
Note the oil derricks at the far right of the picture. They were located in the fields north of the school which was in the area of the original strikes.
The present day’s Ethel Dwyer Middle School buildings were constructed in 1935, but the school’s history as the first grammar school in Huntington Beach began around thirty years before that.
The picture above is how the school looks now, after the installation of some very controversial and unwanted solar panels in 2011. (Many local residents and students staged a protest.)
