Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility

Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility was a 75-acre prison complex with multiple buildings, including an administration building from 1929 and residential quarters in English Revival style. The overall site contained different functional areas for housing and managing incarcerated young people.

The facility opened in 1891 as California's first reform school for young offenders and remained in operation for over a century. After 113 years of serving youth, it closed in 2004.

The name honors Fred C. Nelles, who transformed methods for rehabilitating young people and led to the facility's renaming in 1941. His approach shaped daily operations and made this place a symbol of newer thinking about how to help troubled youth.

The property is currently being redeveloped into The Groves, a mixed-use project, and is not open to the public. It is worth checking locally before visiting the area for any information about historical tours or preserved structures.

During the 1930s and 1940s, MGM used the campus for many film productions because the architecture resembled a New England boarding school. The distinctive buildings attracted filmmakers looking for authentic settings for their movies.

Location: California

GPS coordinates: 33.97600,-118.05100

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:42