Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), located on the adjacent property, was actually a part of Santa Rosa High School from 1918 to 1927.

With its "50's" look and feel, Santa Rosa High was used for part of the movie, When Peggy Sue Got Married starring Kathleen Turner and Nicholas Cage. Stay tuned for our SRHS & Hollywood page, currently in development.

Today SRHS has a rigorous academic program offering courses in English, math, science, social studies, foreign language, physical education as well as in Agriculture, Automotive Technologies, Business, CAD Drafting, Electronics, and Wood Shop.

Santa Rosa High School continues to be an academic leader, having had for nine consecutive years the district's highest SAT scores. SRHS Winner of a California Preservation Award - Click Here

Visit Santa Rosa High School at: www.santarosahigh.org

The first Santa Rosa High School opened in 1874, with a two year course in the upper three classrooms of the Fourth Street Grammar School (later called Fremont Grammar School).

The first class graduated in 1878, composed of eight women and two men, under principal Melville Dozier. During the Spring term of 1881, the school was discontinued through lack of necessary funds. In the fall of 1882, the school was opened again; but as one year had been lost, there was no graduating class for the year 1882.

Because of the rapid growth of Santa Rosa, the old Fourth Street High School was becoming too small. The over crowded condition of the building made carrying on the work of the school almost impossible. In response to the general demand, the matter was put before the citizens of the Santa Rosa High School District who voted for the construction of a new building for the high school. Board members selected a property on Humboldt Street between College and Benton.

After the completion of the new Santa Rosa High School, it was considered to be the model high school of the state. It was the first high school to contain equipped science laboratories: Before this time, the experiments in chemistry were demonstrated on blackboards instead of using real equipment and chemicals. Also with the opening of the new building, a number of new courses were introduced including biology, physiology, botany, French, German, commercial geography, drawing, solid geometry, trigonometry, and economics.

The students of Santa Rosa High School carried on their work in the Humboldt Street building for twenty-five years. In 1921, a fire drastically destroyed the building. Although no one knows for sure what caused the fire, it was believed to be caused by faulty electrical wiring. For four years students had to attend classes in various buildings around town. Although the work of the students progress almost as successfully as before, the great need for a change soon became apparent. In 1923, after much argument and opposition, the taxpayers of the Santa Rosa High School District passed a bond issue for the erection of a new building for the high school. After the selection of the site, plans for the building developed rapidly, and the construction was started. The work was rushed through the summer of 1924, in hopes that the structure would be completed in time for school in September. Unfortunately, unforeseen events delayed the work and it was not until after Christmas vocation that the students were able to move into the new building on Mendocino Avenue.

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