St. Elizabeth's Convent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Elizabeth's Convent
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Housing unit at the Katharine Drexel Shrine, April 2012
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1663 Bristol Pike, Cornwells Heights, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect | Burns, Charles; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Spanish-French Mission |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002352 |
| Added to NRHP | March 21, 1978 |
St. Elizabeth's Convent was a special place in Cornwells Heights, Pennsylvania. It was a historic convent, which is a home for a group of religious women called nuns. From 1892 to 2017, it was the main home, or motherhouse, for the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.
This group of nuns was started by a very important person named St. Katharine Drexel. She founded the Sisters to help Native Americans and African Americans. The convent also had a special place called the Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine. St. Katharine was buried there for many years. Later, her burial place was moved to a big church in Philadelphia.
History of St. Elizabeth's Convent
The buildings at St. Elizabeth's Convent were built in 1892. There were three main buildings that were important to its history. They were designed in a style called Spanish-French Mission. This style often uses features like arched doorways and red tile roofs.
The main building was the convent itself. It had a chapel attached to it, which is a small church, and a bell tower. The other buildings included a utility building and a laundry building.
In 1978, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical place in the United States.
The convent closed in 2017 and was sold. However, the chapel was kept open for people to worship. The shrine for St. Katharine Drexel was moved to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.
Images for kids
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Entrance to the Katharine Drexel Shrine, April 2012
