The 'Brown Castle' History

Stadium High School, commonly referred to as the Brown Castle, was originally intended by its financiers, the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and Tacoma Land Company, to be one of the finest luxury hotels on the Pacific Coast. Construction began in 1891, but due to the railroad’s financial failure, the hotel was never completed and was boarded up for several years before it was acquired by the Tacoma School District.

In 1906, Tacoma High School, as Stadium was then called, opened its doors to 878 students and 38 teachers. Renamed Stadium High School in 1913, the Brown Castle has been host to many historical figures including Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Warren Harding, Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, World War I hero General John “Black Jack” Pershing and John Phillip Sousa's band. Being a part of a school with so rich a history (our Brown Castle is a registered historical landmark) is a source of pride for the students, families, and staff of Stadium High School.

The school celebrated its centennial year in 2006 and has been completely modernized. Stadium is also proud of its reputation for excellence in academics and the arts. Participation in extra and co-curricular activities is almost universal among the diverse student population. Community involvement is also an integral part of the school’s reputation. As a Stadium Tiger, you will make a commitment to honor our school’s rich traditions and to work toward preserving its superior reputation.