The History of Main Street Middle School

1875 – The first school built in Soledad at the corner of Market and Main Streets.

Catalina Munras, founder of the town of Soledad, provided the property for the first school. She provided a plot of
land for a church, a school, a cemetery, and a railroad right of way when it came through the area.

1908 – The second school was built between the current Middle and new middle schools.
1928 – The third school was built on Market Street where Encinal Street ends.

In 1926, the Chair of the Governing Board made a request to the City to close Encinal Street from Market to North St.
and and from North St. to Encinal to make the school grounds a larger area.

In 1927, Board Member M.R. Lunt led the efforts for a $75,000 bond to erect more classrooms and an auditorium. The
bond was approved in June 6, 1927

1953- San Vicente School was built on Metz Road.

Land was purchased in 1950 to build San Vicente School. The School Board agreed to purchase 12.69 acres of property
on Metz Road for $800 per acre. The school was built with the passage of a special tax in May of 1952. San Vicente
School was named after the original Spanish Land Grant. The idea was to tear down the 1908 School and move the
students to San Vicente School.

While this was happening, there was a 7.5 earthquake in Tehachapi near Bakersfield. The Board wanted the 1928
school to be inspected to make sure it was structurally sound. The State Division of Architects determined that the
1928 School was unsafe, so a new school had to be built to replace the 1928 School.

1953 – Main Street Middle School was built.

On September 14, 1953, the Board took action to abandon the 1928 school and they also took action to go for a $54,000
bond and a loan from the state in the amount of $550,000 to build Main Street Middle School.

On May 4, 1953, at the same time that San Vicente Elementary School opened, things turned into a real quagmire for
the then Superintendent, Edwin Hulbert and Board Members. Instead of one new school, (San Vicente) the District
had to the tear down another existing school (the 1928 School) and build a new school, Main Street Middle School.

Main Street Middle School was built within months of San Vicente being built. The 1928 School was then torn down.
The District then had two new schools in Soledad!

2019 – Main Street Middle School is renovated as an entire new building.

In 2012, the Board of Trustees voted to pursue a bond to build a new middle school. Thus began the Measure C,
“Children Succeed with Yes on Measure C” campaign and a $40 million bond passed overwhelmingly by 74.5% of voters
on November 6, 2012 and Measure G, a $25.1 million bond designed as a tax rate extension, passed by 58% of voters on
June 5, 2018.

Building and planning the new middle school was not without any challenges.