Sacred Heart Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sacred Heart Academy
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Tower at the academy
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 525 Lafayette St., Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| Architect | Samuel Hannaford |
| Architectural style | English medieval castle |
| MPS | Samuel Hannaford and Sons TR in Hamilton County |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001467 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
Sacred Heart Academy is an old building in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It used to be a fancy home and then a Catholic school for many years. This special building was designed by a famous architect. Because of its unique design, it is now known as a historic site.
Building History
The Sacred Heart Academy building was finished in 1868. It was first built as a huge house for a rich man named William C. Neff. Mr. Neff wanted his home to look like an old English castle called Kenilworth Castle.
The architect who designed it was Samuel Hannaford. He started his architecture business in Cincinnati in 1858. Hannaford designed many homes for wealthy people in the area. He became very well-known after designing the Cincinnati Music Hall in 1877.
From Home to School
Mr. Neff only lived in his big house for a few years. In 1876, a school called the Academy of the Sacred Heart bought the property. The school needed a new place to teach its students.
The Academy used the building for almost 100 years! It was a very active Catholic school for a long time. In the late 1960s, it even helped start the Girls Greater Cincinnati League. The school added more parts to the building over the years. It finally closed its doors in 1970.
Building Design
The Sacred Heart Academy building is mostly made of stone. The walls look rough, like an old castle. Most parts of the building are two or three stories tall. However, there is a four-story tower that makes it look even more like an English castle.
Special Features
When you enter the building, you go through a portico with pointed arches. These arches are above the main door and the windows next to it. You can also see this design on a window under the tower.
These pointed arches are a sign of the Gothic Revival architecture style. They were also used in a chapel that was added to the building later. Inside, there is a lot of wood paneling that was carved by hand. Swiss woodworkers spent two whole years carving the wood!
A Historic Place
In 1973, Sacred Heart Academy was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important building because of its special architecture.
Seven years later, it was included in a list of 55 buildings designed by Samuel Hannaford in Hamilton County, Ohio. Its historic status helped other Hannaford buildings also get listed as historic places.
- Pender, Linda. "The Castle Guard". Cincinnati Magazine 24.10 (1991): 50-52.
