Nostalgia – what a sweet trip back home. Waves of nostalgia often drive the planning of reunions, formation of alumni associations and historical societies. We love to look back to what we remember as simpler times.
As your city historian, I receive a lot of inquiries, some great questions and some that range from the ridiculous to the sublime. One that should spark a few happy memories is a recent request for information on Robert Frost Auditorium.
The auditorium was opened in 1964, so it is just coming up to the age (50) that could trigger a discussion of historic status. Therefore, it is not on any historic list yet. But being the packrats that we are in the Culver City Historical Society Archives and Resource Center, we acquired a rendering (pictured) by Flewelling and Moody, the architectural firm that designed the auditorium. This answered the question at hand.
Still, we always like to know more, so I can also tell you that former school board member Esther Tarn, who sat on the board that opened it, told me that the auditorium was named for Robert Frost because he was a California native. The board ran a naming contest with the proviso that the structure should be named for a successful California native. Frost won, although he did not stay in California.
Since that time – in fact, during my tenure on the Board of Education (1985-1993) – the auditorium has been renovated and has since become the site of Culver City High School’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA). Sony Pictures was instrumental in the formation of the AVPA and continues to support it in many ways. The Culver City Redevelopment Agency has also supported the facility, as its use is community-wide.
Robert Frost Auditorium is the source of many memories, including plays, holiday programs and community events. To add to our files, I would like to encourage you to send your memories to me at info@culvercityhistoricalsociety.org or via mail to Julie Lugo Cerra, Historic Sites Chair, Culver City Historical Society, P.O. Box 3428, Culver City, CA 90231-3428. And if you are visiting the ARC, we will gladly show you the original rendering.