Taichung First Senior High School was founded by elite members of gentry in Taichung, including Lin Lie-tang[zh], Lin Hsien-tang, Lin Hsiung-cheng, Tsai Lien-fang[zh], and Koo Hsien-jung, and classes began on 1 May 1915, on the grounds of the former Taichung Elementary School. During Japanese rule, Taichung First Senior High School was the only school to admit Taiwanese students, as the two other high schools in Taiwan at the time accepted Japanese students exclusively. At its founding, Taichung First Senior High School employed only Japanese academic administrators, and enrollment was capped at 600 students. A student protest in 1927 led to 36 expulsions, and the voluntary withdrawals of over a dozen other pupils.
In 1922, the school was transferred to the Taichung County government and the name was changed to Taichung County Taichung First Middle School (台中州立台中第一中學校).
In 1945, Taiwan is free from Japan's rule after World War II, and the school was renamed Taiwan Provincial First High School (台灣省立台中第一中學).
In 1954, a satellite campus was established in Fengyuan City.
In 1987, the mathematic and physics class for gifted students was formed.
In 1996, the art class was formed. It was the first time that girls could be admitted to TCFSH.
In 2000, the name was changed to National Taichung First Senior High School (國立台中第一高級中學).
In 2003, the language gifted class was created.
In 2009, the science class was established. It provided an alternative choice for many talented female students. Some first-tier female students who were qualified for the Taichung Girls' High School (TCGS) chose to enroll at TCFSH instead of TCGS.
In 2017, the name was changed to Taichung Municipal Taichung First Senior High School (台中市立台中第一高級中等學校).
Henry T. Yang - The chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara since 1994. A member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
