Mount St. Joseph Academy (West Hartford, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mount St. Joseph Academy
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Mount St. Joseph Academy in 2008
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 Hamilton Heights Dr., West Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 29 acres (12 ha) |
| Built | 1905 |
| Built by | William O'Neil |
| Architect | John J. Dwyer |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003561 |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1983 |
The Mount St. Joseph Academy was once a special school for girls in West Hartford, Connecticut. It is a very old building that looks like a grand house. It was designed by an architect named John J. Dwyer and built between 1905 and 1908.
This building was a school run by the Sisters of Mercy, a group of Catholic nuns. Many girls studied there, and in 1958, about 565 students were enrolled! The school closed in 1978 because fewer students were joining. In 1983, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. Later, in 1996, it was changed into a home for older adults called Atria Hamilton Heights.
What Does Mount St. Joseph Academy Look Like?
The old Mount St. Joseph Academy building sits on a pretty hilltop in West Hartford. It's a very large building, about four or five stories tall. It was built in a style called Georgian Revival, which is similar to Colonial Revival.
The outside of the building is mostly made of red bricks. It also has special details made from light-colored limestone and buff bricks. If you look at it from above, the building is shaped like the letter "E". The front of the building faces east. It has a main entrance that sticks out a bit, with a fancy roof and columns.
A School with a Long History
The Mount St. Joseph Academy building was built from 1905 to 1908. It was one of the most important projects for the architect, John J. Dwyer. The Sisters of Mercy, who ran the school, had a long history of teaching.
The Sisters of Mercy started in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland. They came to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1852. Soon after, they opened a school for girls. In 1874, their school moved to a bigger place and was named Mount St. Joseph Seminary.
By the early 1900s, they needed an even larger space. So, they decided to build this big academy. The original plans were for an even grander building with expensive materials like granite and marble. However, they had to make it a bit smaller and use less costly materials to fit their budget of $300,000. The school taught girls for many years until it closed in 1978.
