History
Bel Air High School began as the Harford County Academy when it was formed by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1811. [3] The first school building was a stuccoed stone building built at 24 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, and the name was soon changed to the Bel Air Academy in 1815. [4]
In 1867, while the Bel Air Academy was operating independently, a one-room wooden schoolhouse was constructed on Main Street, serving as the county's primary public school. [4]
In 1882, a brick public school was built at 45 East Gordon Street. The school was renamed the Bel Air Academy and Graded School as the old academy merged with the public school system. [5] This building housed classes for all students above the third grade. Additions to the building were made in 1897 and 1910. [5] This building became solely a grade school in 1924 and headquartered the Harford County Board of Education after 1951. [5]
Bel Air High School, named thus for the first time, was established in 1907, and classes were initially held at the Gordon Street building and the Pennsylvania Avenue building. [3] [5]
The past facility at 100 Heighe Street was opened in 1950 [4] , with additional renovations made in 1954, 1968, and 1983. The building had a design capacity of 1,423 students; as a result, 11 "portables" were in use to provide additional classroom space.
The current Bel Air High School building was constructed in 2009, adjacent to the old high school on Heighe Street, which was subsequently demolished. [3] Some new features of the school are its auditorium/stage, cafeteria, library, and multiple sports facilities, including Bobcat Stadium, part of which is on the site of the previous high school. [3]
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