The old St. Mary’s Academy looms over the corner of SW 5th and Mill Street in this tremendous photo sent by VP fan John. The building was constructed in 1889 and demolished in the early 1970s. I’ve found good, clear pictures of the school hard to come by, so this is a welcome addition. John has sent in more of his father’s images of this era so look for them in the coming weeks.
(John)
Tags: Oregon, Portland, School, St. Mary's Academy
January 25, 2013 at 7:41 am
Thank you, John. I look forward to seeing more of your father’s photographs.
January 25, 2013 at 7:56 am
This is an awesome photo, well done.
January 25, 2013 at 8:45 am
quite a change! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=portland,+oregon&hl=en&ll=45.512095,-122.681196&spn=0.002442,0.003114&sll=19.645174,-155.939255&sspn=0.265461,0.576782&t=h&gl=us&hnear=Portland,+Multnomah,+Oregon°=90&z=19&layer=c&cbll=45.51196,-122.681266&panoid=8ep9KtWYUeRA6b5ZQi2pZQ&cbp=12,46.34,,0,-1.66
January 25, 2013 at 8:46 am
Excellent photo and totally explains the (former) stonework on the block.
January 25, 2013 at 8:47 am
Very nice, thanks for sharing!
January 25, 2013 at 9:02 am
I wonder if the same architect built St. Patricks in NW? Cupola looks very similar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St_Patricks_Roman_Catholic_Church_and_Rectory_-_Portland_Oregon.jpg
January 25, 2013 at 10:02 am
So does anyone know what president gave a speech in this building?
January 25, 2013 at 10:39 am
Great photo.
January 25, 2013 at 12:46 pm
No
January 25, 2013 at 2:14 pm
“PORTLAND’S HIGHEST BUILDING
From the Cupola of St Mary’s Academy One Can Look Over Any Building in Town.”
“St Mary’s Academy, being situated on high ground, is the highest building in the city.” said the architect yesterday. “The distance from the ground to the cross on the top of the cupola is 140 feet. Standing on the roof a person is forty feet above the roof of the new hotel, and he can look over the tower of any building in the city, including the on the High school and the minarets of the Jewish synagogue. At first sight the High school looks to be above the academy, but when one uses the level, the school tower fades almost into insignificance.”
Morning Oregonian, 10/5/1889, Page 5, interview with Architect Kleeman. The first 3 floors were class rooms and the fourth a dormitory. The article may have been referring to the Portland Hotel, under construction at the time.
January 25, 2013 at 3:47 pm
a destination for those who were lucky. That building was a legendary place for sure. Thank you John!
January 25, 2013 at 4:55 pm
I’m sure it didn’t hold the ‘tallest building’ title for long, with all the turn of the century high rises about to spring up
January 25, 2013 at 5:52 pm
My grandfathers sisters, were sisters at the school and we use to visit them there.
January 25, 2013 at 10:06 pm
It’s a shame to see this building was torn down! To put in a parking lot where a Church once stood makes me MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 25, 2013 at 11:13 pm
That does it. I’m going to build a time machine, go back to 1960, and assassinate every developer who would tear down nice buildings to put up parking lots.
January 26, 2013 at 6:09 am
I’m pretty sure the School building was torn down because it could not meet the new city codes for safety and earthquakes and if they did any remodeling, it would kick in the new rules. Or it was just cheaper to build the new buildings across the street.
January 26, 2013 at 10:34 am
Portland seems to have a long history
of demolishing beautiful buildings
in favor of temporary storage for
our gas guzzlers.
“They paved paradise and put up a parkin’ lot…”
- Joni Mitchell
January 26, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Okay, I give… which president?
January 27, 2013 at 11:55 am
kinda hard to believe, but there is a headline from 1909, in the Morning Oregonian, page 9, “Pupils Hear Taft – President Makes Plain Speech at St. Mary’s Academy” He made his way from the Portland Hotel, he had an entourage of “11 automobiles accompanying his vehicle wended slowly to the academy escorted by 12 mounted police.” looks like his speech is in the paper. This might be the 50th anniversary of the founding of St Mary’s Academy in Portland.