Cardinal Cushing Centers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cardinal Cushing Center Historic District
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Portiuncula Chapel
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 369 Washington St., Hanover, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 175 acres (71 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100002782 |
| Added to NRHP | August 10, 2018 |
The Cardinal Cushing Centers help children and adults who have developmental or intellectual challenges. It's a special place in Hanover, Massachusetts, run by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. They offer classes, job training, places to live, and fun activities.
This center first opened in 1949. It was called St. Coletta's by the Sea. Archbishop Richard Cushing helped start it, and the Kennedy family gave money to build it. It was one of the first centers like this in the whole country! In 1974, it was renamed to honor Archbishop Cushing. The campus became a historic site in 2018.
Contents
Exploring the Campus
The Cardinal Cushing Centers campus is quite large. It covers about 175 acres (71 hectares) in northern Hanover. A road called Washington Street runs through the middle of it.
Buildings and Features
North of Washington Street, you'll find the main office and service buildings. These are brick buildings built in a style called Georgian Revival. There are also two old farmhouses that were updated for the center. They are now called Fatima Hall and the Culinary Arts Building.
South of Washington Street, there's a beautiful stone building called the Portiuncula Chapel. It sits on a hill between Washington and Columbia Streets. Further east, you'll find many buildings where students and adults live.
A Look at History
The Cardinal Cushing Centers have a rich history. They started with a big idea to help people with special needs.
How It All Began
Archbishop Richard Cushing of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston really wanted to create this center. In 1947, he bought the land for the campus. He asked Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. for financial help, and the Kennedy family provided funding.
The idea for the school came from St. Coletta's by the Sea in Jefferson, Wisconsin. That school was started in 1904 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. Archbishop Cushing asked these Sisters to manage and run the new center in Hanover.
The old farmhouses on the property were made ready for use. Then, new brick buildings were constructed. The Portiuncula Chapel was added in 1953.
Growth and Legacy
The center opened in 1947 with 35 children. It quickly grew over the next ten years. Archbishop Cushing asked the Kennedy family for more money again. They helped fund more living spaces, which were added in 1957.
Archbishop Cushing stayed involved with the center until he passed away in 1970. He is buried right on the center's grounds. In 1974, the center was renamed in his honor. It kept growing, with new facilities added in the 1990s and 2000s. In the 2010s, the center also started offering services for adults.
