Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy
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Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy (1889)
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Washington Ave., Wheeling, West Virginia |
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| Built | 1865 |
| Architect | Barthberger, Charles F.; Whelan, Bishop Vincent |
| Architectural style | Eclectic Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002808 |
| Added to NRHP | November 27, 1978 |
| Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy | |
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Washington Avenue
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| Type | Private, All-Female (5-12) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1848 |
| Closed | 2008 |
| Grades | PK-12 |
| Website | http://www.mountdechantal.org |
Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy was a private Catholic school for girls located in Wheeling, West Virginia. It taught students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.
History of the School
The school first opened in 1848 in downtown Wheeling. It was originally called the Wheeling Female Academy. In 1865, the school moved to its final location and changed its name to Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy.
While students in grades five through twelve were all girls, the younger students in the Montessori and Elementary schools were co-ed, meaning both boys and girls attended. The school was also a member of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, which is a group for school sports teams.
The main school building was constructed between 1864 and 1865. It was made of brick with a strong limestone foundation and a slate roof. Over the years, more parts were added, like a two-story porch around 1910, a Fine Arts building in 1906, and living areas for the Sisters (nuns) in 1972.
In 1978, the school building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical place in the United States.
Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy closed its doors on May 31, 2008. The nuns who taught there moved to another school in Washington D.C. In 2010, Wheeling Hospital bought the building. Even though some groups hoped to save the historic building, plans for demolition were announced in November 2011. Demolition began on November 7, 2011. Today, the land where the school once stood is used as practice fields for local Catholic high schools.
Famous Former Students
Many talented women attended Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy. Here are a few:
- Carrie Watson Fleming: She was the First Lady of West Virginia from 1890 to 1893.
- Edna Hall Scott Kump: She was also a First Lady of West Virginia, serving from 1933 to 1937.
- Judith Herndon: She became a state senator in West Virginia.
- Virginia B. Evans: A well-known artist.
- Oriska Worden: A singer and performer in vaudeville shows.
