Cedar Avenue Complex
Also known as: County Government Center
Why it's listed
Cedar Avenue Complex in Lancaster, California, is a group of county government buildings at Cedar Avenue and Lancaster Boulevard. It includes a concrete jail built in 1920, a brick health center from 1930, and three buildings completed in 1938: Memorial Hall and Office Building, a Sheriff's Substation, and a Sheriff's Garage. Los Angeles County began using the site in 1919, and Public Works Administration funding paid for the 1938 construction after a fire destroyed the earlier library and courthouse in 1937. County architect Edward C. M. Brett designed them in a Moderne style. The complex served as the Antelope Valley's center for county business, housing the sheriff, health services, a branch library, courts and offices until a new administrative center opened in 1962. Memorial Hall also hosted dances, club meetings and relief drives. The Garage has been altered enough that it no longer contributes. The city bought the complex from the county in 1987.
Significance in brief: Under Criterion A, the complex served as the county government center for the Antelope Valley from 1920 to 1943 and later decades of community use. Under Criterion C, the 1938 buildings are called PWA Moderne, designed by county architect Edward C. M. Brett, and described as the only known representative of the style in the Antelope Valley.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93001017, listed September 30, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 44843 (44855), 44845 and 44851 Cedar Ave., 606 Lancaster Blvd., and Old Jail (no address), Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 30, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001017 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1920-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Brett, Edward C., Chief Architect for the Mechanical Department of the County of Los Angeles |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Lancaster since 1987. The Sheriff's Substation is used for storage, the Garage and Jail for city offices and storage; the Garage is noted as no longer contributing. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 34.69937, -118.13970 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93001017.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141632868
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.