College City was the site of Pierce Christian College, established in 1874 through the generosity of Andrew Pierce, founder of both the town and the college. The college provided Christian education for the young people of the area until the spring of 1897, when it closed and reopened that fall as Pierce Joint Union High School. The facility, located on five acres bounded by Ninth and Eleventh Streets on the north and south and by College and Market Streets on the west and east, continued to house the high school until 1937, when the present high school was opened in Arbuckle. As a tribute to the foresight and generosity of Andrew Pierce, the school and district retained the name of Pierce Joint Union High School and District.