St. Mary's Academy (Bldgs J & L) - St. Mary's Institute District - O'Fallon, MO - Former Schools on Waymarking.com

County of district: St. Charles County
Location of district: N. Main St. between Civic Park Dr & W 3rd St., O'Fallon
Built: Academy 1930, Gym 1954
Number of Bldgs. in District: 21, Entities 14
Architect: Unknown
Architectural Style: Gothic Revival

"The congregation started St. Mary’s Academy in O’Fallon in 1964 as a small, private Catholic girls’ high school, remaining open until 1990. From 1966 until 2007, the Sisters sponsored Linda Vista Catholic School, a Montessori pre-school and grades one through eight." ~ CPPS

Facebook  page for the members of the alumni who are still active

Archives and Records

"The motherhouse itself is comprised of six distinct buildings/sections that initially comprised six separate buildings, some of which were initially connected by a cloister walk, but by 1950 they were all joined together with the construction of small connecting sections (primarily hallways) added along with the new dining room wing. These six sections are numbered in the resource count on the preceding table and consist of the following:

  ...
  (4) Section l was the academy, constructed in 1930. Section K was the college, constructed in 1962 directly behind the academy
  ...
  (6) Section J was the gym, constructed in 1954 southeast of Section L (academy).

"The three-story brick wing constructed in 1930 as an academy, Section L (now City Hall), is also three-stories in height with the original, wooden, six-over-six, sashed windows. Engaged brick pilasters divide window bays and sawtooth brick corbelling is noted near the roofline. A series of hipped dormers are visible at the roofline as is a cupola near the west end of the wing at the south elevation. The façade features a central, three story projecting bay with a parapeted gabled roof that projects above the top of the main walls. Within this bay are three vertical sections articulated with limestone, Gothic arched openings and stone tracery leading to the main doorway. A modem entrance was created to City Hall in the 1990s and is situated at the southeast (rear) comer of the wing. This two story rounded bay has a dome at the roofline crest but is not readily visible from the public street view of the motherhouse or the original entry to St. Mary's Academy; instead it is at the east rear comer facing a parking lot southeast of the motherhouse. Behind this rounded entry bay is the hipped roof brick section (Section J, constructed in 1954) that houses a gymnasium. The wing was originally used by the school but is now part of the city's facilities and still serves as a gymnasium. North of the gymnasium and behind St. Mary's Academy (now City Hall) is Section K, which is a two story, flat roofed, brick addition with minimal fenestration and a rear entry on the east end that originally housed the college but is now used for the police department.

"To the south of the chapel are the wings used by St. Mary's Academy (sections J, K, and L). The three floors of the old novitiate have linear central halls flanked by classrooms. These three sections are currently utilized as city offices by the City of O'Fallon. The wings retain original stained wood trim and doors. The gymnasium (originally used by the school) is intact. The only major renovation to the former academy space is the addition of a rounded, domed wing at the southwest comer of the building, constructed by the city during the 1990s. This addition serves as the city's public reception area, opening into the full three-story original interior features that (as noted) have been retained." ~ NRHP Nomination Form