Hillsborough High School - Tampa, FL
The land for the school was purchased in 1925 and the cornerstone was laid Jan. 28, 1927. This massive red brick building was designed in the Gothic Revival style by local architect Francis Kennard. The building was built to accommodate 2,000 students and was completed in Sept. of 1928 at a cost of $757,000. The stained-glass windows in the auditorium were added in the 1950s and in 1976 the building was remodeled to allow for central air conditioning. During this time the students attended the new Jefferson High School on Cypress St. in double-session classes. The walls, buttresses, spires, and tracery of the arched stained-glass windows are decorated in cast stone.
Below is from "History of Hillsborough County, Biographical excerpts", p.291 (Published in 1928)
Francis J. Kennard was born in England in 1865 and came to the United States in 1886, settling first in Putnam County, FL and later moving to Orlando where he practiced architecture from 1888 to 1895. In the latter year, he moved to Tampa where he has been in the active practice of his profession ever since and is therefore the oldest practicing architect in the city in length of service.
Mr. Kennard has many notable buildings to his credit in the southwest part of Florida, among which may be mentioned are the Belleview Hotel in Bellair, the Pinellas County Court House, Lee County Court House, Citizens' Bank Building of Tampa, also the Floridan Hotel, Citrus Exchange Building and many other important buildings, including the new Hillsborough High School now in the course of construction at Tampa.
He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Florida Association of Architects and the Tampa Association of Architects.
A view of the school looking north from Osborne Ave. and the home side bleachers of Chelo Huerta Stadium.
Click photo to see close up of the school.
See photo when the school was just completed ca. 1928
Read article with old photos "HHS, the first 100 years."
The above article credits a "Dr. Strayer" with the design of the school.
Perhaps Mr. Kennard converted the sand drawing into a more detailed version!
Read a more detailed version of the school history from the school website.
Other Tampapix pages on Seminole Heights area sights
Hillsborough High School Memorial Middle School Seminole Hts. Elementary School
Seminole Hts. United Methodist Church Seminole Motel Sign Arts Group Bo's Ice Cream
Seminole Heights Community Websites:
A Brief History of the Founding of Seminole Heights
Seminole Heights web page History of Seminole Heights
Interesting Facts about Seminole Heights
