If you’ve ever driven by Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington, you might not know that it was once abandoned and left to decay. This castle-like secondary school with its majestic brick turrets feels like it’s always been part of the Tacoma landscape. However, in 1898, a devastating fire gutted the building during construction, halting plans for a bluff-side luxury hotel, and leaving the structure abandoned for several years. Fortunately, this Washington landmark was completely restored to its former glory as the most uniquely beautiful school in the state.

In 1904, the Tacoma School District purchased the deserted property, redesigning and renovating the building into a school.
University of Washington, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1906, the doors of Tacoma High School (as it was originally called), opened to 876 students.
Laurie Littlefield-Wells, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Nicknamed the Brown Castle, the school has been host to many historical figures including Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Warren Harding.
Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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The school was renamed Stadium High School after the construction of a stadium bowl in 1910.
Curtis Cronn/Flickr
Unfortunately, the original stadium with seating for 32,000 people far exceeded the weight the soil could support. The stadium was renovated and stabilized in the 1970s, losing half the seating in the process.
Stadium High School has gone through several renovations and upgrades over the years.
Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Though the school has been expanded to include a gymnasium, an arts and science complex, and an underground swimming pool, architects and designers worked to keep the historical integrity of the building intact.
Stadium High School's castle-like features look like something straight out of a Harry Potter film, but another popular movie was actually filmed here.
You Tube
The 1999 movie "10 Things I Hate About You" filmed several scenes at Stadium High School. Heath Ledger's character famously danced his way into Kat's heart on the steps of the Stadium High School bowl.
As far as schools go, it doesn't get more enchanting than this.
George Wesley & Bonita Dannells/Flickr
With spectacular views of Commencement Bay, an iconic stadium, and a building that has students feeling like royalty, Stadium High School is a pretty sweet place to get an education.

It’s hard to imagine that this magical building once sat empty, abandoned, and deserted. Thankfully, Tacoma’s brown castle was saved and restored to its former glory, forever shaping the landscape of the Stadium District. Have you ever attended an event at Stadium High School? What did you think of the view? Let us know in the comments.

Do you like to visit historic places? Check out these other historic landmarks in Washington State.

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Stadium High School, 111 N E St, Tacoma, WA 98403, USA