Huntington Beach Elementary School Gymnasium and Plunge
Also known as: City Gymnasium and Pool
Why it's listed
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.
Significance in brief: 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.
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 94001499, listed December 29, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1600 Palm Ave., Huntington Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | December 29, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001499 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Frederick H. Eley (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | 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. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 33.66941, -118.00599 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 94001499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.