The Killefer School|Daniele C. Struppa Research Park

Chapman University has completed renovations on the historic Lydia D. Killefer School building, marking an exciting milestone in the university’s commitment to preserving a significant piece of American history and advancing cutting-edge research. The Killefer School, a nationally registered landmark, has since been reborn as the new home of Chapman University’s Institute for Quantum Studies and the state-of-the-art Advanced Physics Laboratory.

Purchased by Chapman University in 2020, this iconic building, located on Olive Street just north of Walnut Ave in the City of Orange, underwent a transformation that respects its rich historical significance while embracing the future of scientific exploration. 

The Killefer School renovation project commemorates the building’s role in the history of school desegregation in the United States. Integration at Killefer School occurred in 1944, a pivotal three years prior to the landmark Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Mendez, et al v. Westminster School District of Orange County, which ultimately ended segregation in Orange County schools. This case went on to set a precedent for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954, ending the legal right to segregation across the country.

Killefer School holds a unique place in history as one of the few Hispanic schools preserved after desegregation, continuing to serve as a local elementary school until 1989.