Auditorium, Event venue at Torrance High School, California
The Auditorium, also called the Assembly Hall, is a PWA Moderne building on the Torrance High School campus in Torrance, California. Built in 1924 and rebuilt after the 1933 Long Beach earthquake as a New Deal project, it has streamlined forms and modern materials; a 1983 thematic study calls it an outstanding example of PWA Moderne work.
Built in 1924 as Torrance's first large meeting hall, the Auditorium was damaged in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake and rebuilt as a New Deal project. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, one of four NRHP buildings on the Torrance High School campus.
Built in 1924, it was Torrance's first large meeting hall, predating the civic center, and residents treated it as a point of civic pride. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake damaged it, and it was rebuilt as a New Deal project, which kept the building in use for school assemblies and town gatherings.
The Auditorium stands on the Torrance High School campus, so access follows school grounds rather than a public venue. It is one of four campus buildings on the National Register, alongside the Torrance School, Main Building and Home Economics Building, so a walk past all four is possible from the street. Check with the school before expecting to go inside.
The building was designed by architect Abraham Wesley Eager and earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This recognition highlights the architectural importance of PWA Moderne design in Southern California.
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