The old City Hall, 1923 – 1974
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.