Salinas High School
726 S. Main St, Salinas, (831) 796‑7400, salinasuhsd.org
Although Salinas High looks like a prop from George Lucas’ American Graffiti or Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, it’s a bonafide institution of secondary education with some 2,500 students in grades 9‑12. Architecturally, the Spanish mission revival style is an iconic landmark in the city, and is quintessential California. Originally built in 1892, the school was rebuilt to its current beautiful manifestation in 1999. The main wing showcases vast stucco exterior walls, arched windows with small panes, octagonal portholes, covered walkways and terracotta roof tiles, but its bell tower and clock are the signature design elements that make many a passerby think about heading back to school. And yes, John Steinbeck was a graduate of Salinas High.