:Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Mount Saint Mary's Academy and Convent

| image = Mount St. Mary's Academy (Grass Valley, CA).jpg

| caption =

| location = 410 South Church Street
Grass Valley, California

| coordinates = {{coord|39|12|53|N|121|4|3|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = California#USA

| area =

| built = 1865 or 1866

| architecture = Gothic Revival-Renaissance Revival-Georgian Revival-Victorian

| added = May 3, 1974{{NRISref|2008a}}

| refnum = 74000543

| designated_other1 = California

| designated_other1_date = 1972-04-24

| designated_other1_number = 855

}}

Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy, originally the Sacred Heart Convent and Holy Angels Orphanage and previously Mount St. Mary's Convent and Orphan Asylum, and also known as Mount Saint Mary's Academy and Convent, is the only extant original orphanage in California and commemorates the Sisters of Mercy, in Grass Valley, Nevada County, California.{{cite web |url=http://www.malakoff.com/grassmsm.htm |title=Mount St. Mary's Convent and Orphan Asylum |accessdate=2008-07-28 |publisher=malakoff.com}}

The Gothic Revival Style Victorian building with Georgian Revival accents currently houses the Grass Valley Museum, at 410 South Church Street between Chapel and Dalton Streets, Grass Valley.{{cite journal |url=http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/grassvalley98.asp |title=A Queen and an Empire |accessdate=2008-07-29 |last=Evans |first=Ron |date=September 1998 |website=Viamagazine.com}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ncgold.com/Museums_Parks/GVmuseum.html |title=Grass Valley Museum |accessdate=2008-07-29 |publisher=ncgold.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/19980524132430/http://www.ncgold.com/Museums_Parks/GVmuseum.html |archive-date=1998-05-24 |url-status=dead }}

History

Katherine Russell (sister of Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen and better known as Mother Mary Baptist Russell, or simply "Mother Baptist") arrived in San Francisco with seven other Sisters of Mercy on 1854-12-08{{cite news|first=Julie |last=Sly |title=Sisters of Mercy celebrate 150 years of service in state |url=http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/herald/articles/071006sisters.html |publisher=diocese-sacramento.org |date=2007-10-06 |accessdate=2008-07-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905132820/http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/herald/articles/071006sisters.html |archive-date=September 5, 2008 }} from Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland; other Sisters followed.{{cite web |url=http://www.mercyburl.org/press_kit/pdf/san_filippo_article.pdf |title=The Sisters of Mercy's California Adventure |accessdate=2008-07-29 |last=Sanfilippo |first=Helena |date=2003-05-16 |publisher=mercyburl.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922224415/http://www.mercyburl.org/press_kit/pdf/san_filippo_article.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-22 |url-status=dead }} On 1863-08-20, spearheaded by vicar-general Father Thomas Dalton,{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_D2oQAAAAIAAJ_2 |quote=orphanage grass valley. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_D2oQAAAAIAAJ_2/page/n328 294] |title=The Catholic encyclopedia; an international work of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic church |last=Herbermann |first=Charles George |year=1913 |publisher=Universal Knowledge Foundation |location=New York |oclc=6974688}} five Sisters, including Mother Baptist,{{cite news|url=http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/herald/backissues/20010203/index.htm |title=Mercy Sisters leaving Grass Valley after 138 years of service |accessdate=2008-07-29 |last=Westlund |first=Nancy |date=2001-02-03 |publisher=The Catholic Herald |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905134204/http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/herald/backissues/20010203/index.htm |archive-date=September 5, 2008 }} arrived in Grass Valley to help the California Gold Rush miners' orphans. Bishop Eugene O'Connell placed the cornerstone for the convent/orphanage building on Sunday, 1865-05-02. The Sisters moved in on 1866-03-20, and the first orphans were taken in on 1866-04-02.

The orphanage closed in 1932 and the facility was de-sanctified in 1968. The following year, in 1969, the Grass Valley Historic Preservation Committee began repair and preservation of the building and the Sisters' rose garden.{{cite news |first=Patricia L. |last=Minch |title=Secret garden revealed |url=http://www.theunion.com/article/20080613/NEWS/838619397/1066%26parentprofile%3D1053 |publisher=theunion.com |date=2008-06-13 |accessdate=2008-07-29 |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524101033/http://www.theunion.com/article/20080613/NEWS/838619397/1066%26parentprofile%3D1053 |url-status=dead }} The Foley Library for Historical Research in nearby Nevada City, California retains historical documents for Mount St. Mary's.{{cite web|url=http://www.nevadacountyhistory.org/htmls/ask_a_question.html#q15 |title=Interactive Discussions: Nevada County History and Ancestors |accessdate=2008-07-29 |date=June 2008 |publisher=Nevada County Historical Society |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515091527/http://www.nevadacountyhistory.org/htmls/ask_a_question.html |archive-date=May 15, 2008 }}

Mount Saint Marys Academy is still running as a school.

=Construction=

The building is three stories tall, and was built at a cost of $19,856, including construction and interior furnishings.

First floor - Construction: stone. Use: classrooms, dining room, kitchen, laundry, lavatory, store rooms.
Second floor - Construction: brick. Use: chapel, classrooms, library, parlors.
Third floor - Construction: brick. Use: dormitories, sleeping quarters, infirmary.

Landmark designation

This Nevada County building is honored as on the National Register of Historic Places{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/wori/planyourvisit/upload/women%27s%20history%20sites%20database.pdf |title=Women's Progress Commemorative Commission |pages=6 |accessdate=2008-07-28 |publisher=Women's Progress Commemorative Commission, National Park Service}} and as California Historical Landmark No. 855, registered in 1972-04-24.{{cite ohp|855|Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy|2012-10-10}} The plaque's inscription states:

Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy

Built by Reverend Thomas J. Dalton, the Sacred Heart Convent and Holy Angels Orphanage was dedicated May 2, 1865 by Bishop Eugene O'Connell. Under the Sisters of Mercy, it served from 1866 to 1932 as the first orphanage of the Northern Mines. It functioned as an academy from 1868 to 1965 and as a convent from 1866 to 1968.{{cite web|url=http://ceres.ca.gov/geo_area/counties/Nevada/landmarks.html|title=NO. 855 MOUNT SAINT MARY'S CONVENT AND ACADEMY|accessdate=2008-07-28|publisher=ceres.ca.gov|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511144844/http://ceres.ca.gov/geo_area/counties/Nevada/landmarks.html|archive-date=2008-05-11}}

The plaque was placed on the building on October 28, 1972, by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.{{cite web |url=http://www.noehill.com/nevada_county_california/cal0855.asp |title=California Landmark 855 |accessdate=2008-08-01 |publisher=noehill.com}}

References

External links

[http://www.saintjosephsculturalcenter.org/ Grass Valley History Museum]
{{HABS |survey=CA-1799 |id=ca0431 |title=Mount St. Mary's Academy, Church & Chapel Street, Grass Valley, Nevada County, CA |photos=2 |supp=yes}}

Category:Grass Valley, California

Category:Museums in Nevada County, California

Category:History museums in California

Category:Convents in the United States

Category:Orphanages in California

Category:California Historical Landmarks

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Nevada County, California

Category:Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in California

Category:Buildings and structures in Nevada County, California

Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in California

Category:Religious organizations established in 1866

Category:1866 establishments in California