On March 30, 1868, Melrose appropriated $20,000 for the construction of the high school on a 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) lot located on the corner of West Emerson Street and Lake Avenue.

The town selected a lot of land known as the "Old Burial Ground" on Main Street across from the Central Fire Station as the location for the new school building.

1961 saw the addition of the Daffinee Gymnasium which contained new locker rooms for both basketball and football and also extra classroom space.

There is a constantly running air circulation system to combat the window problem and this also cools the building in the summer.

In Summer 2005, walls were constructed in the second- and third-floor open spaces creating fourteen separate classrooms.

The $3–4 million renovation will include the installation of "SmartBoards" in all 78 classrooms, improved lighting, roof replacement, and repainting the entire school.

[10] The first phase, with construction that occurred in Summer 2008, costing $1.44 million and was for the installation and purchase of the "SmartBoards" and the electrical work needed to accommodate the additional technology for the boards.

[10] By the start of the 2008-09 school year, September 4, 2008, 70 fixed position smart boards and four portable ones were ready for use.

The school put money into replacing all of its dated science classrooms with ones that include updated appliances and labs.