Mendocino High School, 1900-1920. (Perley Maxwell (photographer), Gift of Emery Escola, Emery Escola Collection, Kelley House Photographs)
October 26, 1893 – The steamer Point Arena delivered 10,000 bricks for the foundation of the first Mendocino High School. 20,000 additional bricks were expected to arrive soon.
Work had begun just that week on the 4.5-acre hilltop parcel donated by William Heeser for the high school. A crew of men and a six-horse team leveled the top of the hill and graded the streets around the lot. The Beacon described the site, “The location is the most desirable place in town, as it affords a beautiful view of the surroundings and of the ocean.”
A two-story building was constructed at a cost of $6,000. There was a large wood-burning furnace in the lower level, and the physics and chemistry rooms were also located downstairs. The study hall, classrooms, and other facilities were on the main floor. The school was dedicated on April 28, 1894. In 1948, this building was demolished, and a new high school building was constructed on this site.
“Mendocino and the Movies: Hollywood and TV Motion Pictures Filmed on the Mendocino Coast” by Bruce Levene. More than 50 films from 1904 to 2001 used local scenery and local actors. $20.