{"nrhp_refnum":"94001499","name":"Huntington Beach Elementary School Gymnasium and Plunge","other_names":["City Gymnasium and Pool"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"1600 Palm Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Huntington Beach","county":"Orange County","state":"CA","lat":33.669414904000064,"lon":-118.00598502699995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1994-12-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick and stucco neo-classical gymnasium and indoor swimming pool (plunge) at 1600 Palm Ave., Huntington Beach, Orange County, California, completed in August 1931 for the elementary school district and designed by Santa Ana architect Frederick H. Eley.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it was a pioneering facility for elementary school physical education, described at the time as the best indoor facility for elementary children in California, with a plunge claimed to be the only one at an elementary school in the nation. It also served as an emergency shelter and relief center after the March 1933 earthquake, and it survived when the other school buildings were destroyed. It is also notable for its Lamella roofs and its tile work.","narrative":"Completed in August 1931, this gymnasium and indoor pool at 1600 Palm Avenue in Huntington Beach was built for the local elementary school district and designed by Santa Ana architect Frederick H. Eley. It is a one and one-and-a-half story brick and stucco building with white terra cotta trim, made up of a gymnasium, a plunge and two flat-roofed wings. Each main hall has a wooden Lamella arched roof. The interior has detailed tile work, hardwood floors and marble fixtures. The school board paid cash for the project during the oil boom, and local reports called it the best indoor facility for elementary children in the state. It hosted physical education classes, swim meets and basketball tournaments. After the March 1933 earthquake destroyed the school's classroom buildings, the gymnasium survived and met emergency needs. The City of Huntington Beach took it over in 1967 and altered the front entrance. It remains a city recreation facility.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Frederick H. Eley (architect)","architectural_style":"Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Classical Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Now used as the Huntington Beach City Gym and Pool; the text says it appears to be in good condition to a casual observer, though with signs of deferred maintenance.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:26.895472-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/94001499.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123860248","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":null},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/orange-county/huntington-beach-elementary-school-gymnasium-and-plunge-94001499/"}