Tampa Heights in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Hillsborough County High School

Photographed by AGS Media, June 28, 2010

1. Hillsborough County High School Marker

Inscription. The oldest high school building standing today in Hillsborough County is located at 2704 Highland Avenue in Tampa. It was designed by Wilson Potter of New York. The cornerstone reads HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, but when it opened on October 12, 1911, it was called Hillsborough High School and E.L. Robinson served as principal. The building was enlarged in 1923 by M. Leo Elliott but by 1928, it was again too small and the school moved from the Highland Avenue site to a larger facility. In the fall of 1928, the building became THOMAS JEFFERSON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. Under the guidance of principal D.W. Waters, a transition began in 1939 to reestablish a high school. The school was named THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL and the first class graduated in 1942. Again, having outgrown its physical capacity, the school closed in 1967 but later reopened at a new location. On April 24, 1994, due to the efforts of the TJHS Alumni Association, the school was renamed the D.W. WATERS MEMORIAL CENTER. It serves today as a memorial to Mr. Waters and a symbol of the County's early dedication to education.

Erected 2004 by The Preservation

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Committee, Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1856.

Location. 27° 58.084′ N, 82° 27.745′ W. Marker is in Tampa, Florida, in Hillsborough County. It is in Tampa Heights. It is on North Highland Avenue south of West Gladys Street, on the left when traveling north. The marker is located in the city's Tampa Heights neighborhood. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2704 North Highland Avenue, Tampa FL 33602, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Tampa Bay.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Buffalo Soldiers in Tampa Heights

Hillsborough County High School Marker and D.W. Waters Career Center Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by AGS Media, June 28, 2010

2. Hillsborough County High School Marker and D.W. Waters Career Center Sign

(approx. 0.4 miles away); Tampa Free Public Library (approx. half a mile away); St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); George Washington Junior High School (approx. 0.7 miles away); Woodlawn Cemetery (approx. 0.7 miles away); German-American Club (approx. ¾ mile away); Howard W. Blake High School (approx. ¾ mile away); Clara C. Frye (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tampa.

More about this marker. The marker is capped with the logo of the Tampa Historical Society.

Regarding Hillsborough County High School. The building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, was the third campus in Hillsborough High School's history. The school, first established in 1885, left this campus for their fourth and current home in the nearby Old Seminole Heights neighborhood.

The county established Thomas Jefferson High School at this site during the era of segregation to serve as the designated school for Hispanic students.

Sometime after Jefferson High left to re-open at a new location, the building became home to George Washington Junior High School until that school's

D.W. Waters Career Center image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Glenn Sheffield, June 28, 2010

3. D.W. Waters Career Center

Also known as the Old Hillsborough County High School building. Notice the red brick street (Highland Avenue).

closure in 1979.

Currently, the "Old Hillsborough County High School" building is the home to the D.W. Waters Career Center, a Hillsborough County Public School for 11th and 12th grade students getting occupational and vocational training.

Also see . . . Hillsborough High School - Over the Years ! ::. Enjoy the many fine old "pics" ! ! (Submitted on January 5, 2012.)

Additional keywords. Career Center, Vocational

Old Hillsborough County High School building front facade image. Click for full size.

Photographed by AGS Media, June 28, 2010

4. Old Hillsborough County High School building front facade

"Literature" "Science" "Languages" "History" "Mathematics"

Memorial bricks from Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni image. Click for full size.

Photographed by AGS Media, June 28, 2010

5. Memorial bricks from Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni

The bricks surround the front flag pole on three sides.

Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association bricks image. Click for full size.

Photographed by AGS Media, June 28, 2010

6. Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association bricks

At the sidewalk to the building's main entrance.

Hillsborough High School in 2010 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by AGS Media, April 23, 2010

7. Hillsborough High School in 2010

The school's fourth and current campus features the Gothic Revival-style architecture of Francis Kennard.

Photographed by AGS Media, April 23, 2010

8. Hillsborough High School in 2010

The 1928 building is a contributing structure to the Seminole Heights Residential District (a National and Local Historic District).

Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2010, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 5,786 times since then and 125 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 28, 2010, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. 7, 8. submitted on June 29, 2010, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.