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The original Edmonds High School campus has undergone several incarnations over its history, serving as a high school, junior high and college. After completing an $18 million dollar, one year renovation project, Edmonds Center for the Arts opened its doors to the public in 2006.
1909 : Construction begins on Edmonds’ first high school. James Stephen, the Seattle School District’s official architect, designs the two-story brick building in the classical-revival style. Built for $30,000 through a voter-approved bond issue, it stands alone on a 2-acre knoll overlooking Puget Sound.
1910 : Three seniors make up the school’s first graduating class. The commencement ceremony is held in the nearly finished building.
1939 : A federal grant of $112,500 helps build an art-moderne addition of cast concrete. The $250,000 project, which includes an auditorium and gym, requires ripping out much of the southern wing added in 1921.
1957 : A new Edmonds High School open at Holmes Corner, and the old school becomes the city’s junior high.
1961 : A gymnasium building is added on the property’s northwest corner, obscuring views of the old school from the street.
1975 : The Edmonds School District closes the school.
1977 : The school district sells the property to Puget Sound Christian College.
1986 : The school complex is listed on the Washington Heritage Register.
2001 : Puget Sound Christian College departs from the property. The Edmonds City Council creates the Public Facilities District (PFD) to study development of a regional arts center. The 1939 auditorium of the original Edmonds High School facility is selected for the center.
2002 : The PFD buys the school site, and the district’s board of directors approves a plan that includes demolishing the 1909, 1921 and 1961 structures to create room for parking.
2005 : Groundbreaking is celebrated for the future Edmonds Center for the Arts and demolition begins.
December 18, 2006 : Edmonds Center for the Arts presents its first performance, Tingstad and Rumbel.
