Gainesville High School

History

Gainesville High School History

Gainesville High School is the oldest high school in Alachua County, dating back to 1905. In 1919, Gainesville High School was a combined elementary-secondary school that met in what is now the Kirby Smith Administration Building. By 1924 the first building officially called Gainesville High School was completed on West University Avenue.  The current site opened in 1955, after the student body had outgrown the original building.  Enrollment, at that time, was approximately 1100 students.  Student numbers continued to increase over the years and in 1970, after integration forced Lincoln High School to close, Gainesville High School emerged as the only public high school in the city.  By 1972, the student population swelled to 3,175 students, and two new high schools were opened. 

Today, Gainesville High School is home to a diverse student body of approximately 1,840 students coming from throughout Gainesville and Alachua County.  Because our school is the center school for the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, our student body is further enriched by students from all over the world.  Students, parents, and staff consider our diversity to be a source of strength and pride for our school.