In 2012, SurveyLA identified the property as an early example of institutional development in Watts. It is also an excellent and rare example of a Beaux-Arts style municipal building in Southeast Los Angeles.

Between 1920 and 1926, Watts more than tripled in size, from 4,529 inhabitants to an estimated 16,000. To address the influx in population, the Watts Fire Department began operating at the city hall building at 1645 E. 103rd Street in 1924. However, the city ultimately lacked sufficient funding to provide adequate services to its residents, and a vote was made to annex Watts to the City of Los Angeles on May 29, 1926. At this time, the station became part of the Los Angeles Fire Department and was renamed Engine Company No. 65. In 1933, the Long Beach earthquake destroyed buildings throughout the region, including many located in Watts. The municipal building at 1645 E. 103rd Street suffered irreparable damage, leading to the construction of a new branch municipal building and fire station in Watts.

In July 1936, the new municipal building and fire station opened at 1513-1525 E. 103rd Street. Engine Company No. 65 occupied the eastern half of the building and the Watts branch of Los Angeles City Hall, including the police and health departments, occupied the western portion.

In the 1950s and 60s, the building was one of the only municipal facilities serving the Watts community. During this time, discriminatory treatment of African Americans by police grew, while public services available to the community decreased. Tensions mounted and ultimately led to the Watts Uprising in August 1965, which lasted for several days and resulted in more than forty million dollars worth of property damage. Following the uprising, the City of Los Angeles introduced a redevelopment plan intended to bring a range of new and expanded services to the Watts community, including a new civic center. It was not until decades later that a new civic center was realized through funding provided by the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and Community Development Department.

The building housed other city services, including a youth training center and alcoholism help center in the 1970s and 80s, and the Watts office of the CRA in the 1990s. Over time, many of these city services would vacate the property, though Engine Company No. 65 continued to occupy the building until 2006.

Completed in 1997, the new civic center building was constructed just east of the subject propery and would become the primary municipal services facility in the community. In 2019, the CRA sold the new civic center and all city departments vacated the building. The building at 1513-1525 E. 103rd Street continues to hold municipal facilities and currently operates as the Watts Civic Center Office Building.