East Hillsborough Historical Society, Inc.

Plant City High School Community Center

This Place Matters because the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center (PCHSCC) served the community for 58 years as an educational institution and early in its existence had also been the focal point of numerous other civic and community activities. Since the building closed as a school in 1972, the goal has been to adaptively reuse this magnificent structure as a community center so it may continue in its service to the residents of Plant City and Eastern Hillsborough County. This building represents a huge community investment over a period of close to 100 years.  The 1981 listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the broad base of support for the on-going rehabilitation project bears out its significance and historic and practical appeal. The 1914 PCHSCC serves as the anchor for the North Plant City  Residential Historic District and additionally provides historical and architectural continuity between the Downtown Plant City Commercial Historic District and the Downtown  Plant City Residential Historic District, all three of which are listed on the National Register. 

This Place Matters because it is an architectural gem. Located in one of the City's oldest residential (a historic district listed on the National Register, 1993 ) neighborhoods with brick paved, tree-lined streets, this three story, red brick modified Georgian Revival structure stands in impressive contrast to the frame housing stock. The building exhibits decorative blond accent trim. The east and west elevations are treated as the principal elevations featuring central, four- bay, fluted, Doric-columned, pedimented porticos on the main (2nd) level. The flat roof features a stepped parapet. The interior plan of the basic, square-massed school survives in a remarkably complete state of preservation with the classrooms arranged in clusters around the periphery of the building to maximize natural illumination and ventilation. The auditorium that once seated 1500 students is centrally located.

This Place Matters because the City-owned building is home to the East Hillsborough Historical Society (EHHS), the organization which has been the driving force behind the rehabilitation. Their establishment of a local history museum and historical and genealogical archives in the building carries on the educational emphasis. The community center also houses an auditorium with outstanding acoustics, a banquet facility in the former cafeteria, a catering kitchen, and classroom spaces available for group meetings.

This Place Matters because the 1914 PCHSCC has graduated a number of successful and prominent personalities who have achieved significance on the national, state, and local levels. Members of former graduating classes have shown their support for the preservation of the school by funding specific projects and volunteering for the EHHS in its on-going efforts to preserve, maintain, and promote the building.

This Place Matters because, in its preservation, the 1914 PCHS Community Center remains as a tangible reminder of civic achievement, pride and the value placed on educational excellence in this ever growing agricultural community.

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