In the 1900’s Jared Sidney Torrance, a real estate developer and other investors wanted to create a mixed industrial residential community in the south of Los Angeles. The resulting town was named after Torrance in 1912. In September 11,1917 Torrance high school was opened under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles unified school district. It was a combination of a high school and elementary school to accommodate areas of post World War One growth such as iron and petroleum industry as well as the pacific railway expansion. Today Torrance high school is one of the oldest high schools in California. Torrance had a vision to open up a hospital but did not live long enough to watch his vision become a reality. His wife Helena Child Torrance took
