Convent of Mercy historic school

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Built-in 1908, this building served as a girl’s school and motherhouse for the Sisters of Mercy convent in Mobile AL up until the school closed in 1968. The main building is a rare surviving historic Catholic educational structure, built by New Orleans architect A.H. Downey in a classical/baroque structure. The secondary building on the property, a simple brick design, was built in 1928 to accommodate a growing student population. After the school’s closing in 1968, it was used briefly as a chandelier factory before being converted to condominiums at the turn of the century.

Images

Street view of the Convent of Mercy

Picture of the Convent as it appeared in 1990

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

After the Civil War, in 1895, the Sisters of Mercy founded a girl’s school to teach local children within the St. Joseph’s Parish. This school served as a primary grade school, educating younger children in the area.

In 1908 the main building that stands today was finished, built by New Orleans architect A.H. Downy. Standing at 3 ½ stories tall, the building features classical/baroque structure in its parapet roof and it’s lower level windows. By the year 1927, the school’s new building was a success and served as host to 250 students, which prompted the construction of an additional school building in 1928.

The convent continued to use the schoolhouse until the school was fully closed in 1968. In the wake of the closing, the school became merged with Bishop Toolen High, and the sisters relocated to Spring Hill. After the school was closed, the buildings were sold.

During the 1970s the buildings served as a chandelier factory for several years. Eventually, the buildings became unused once more and were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. After the turn of the century in 2002, the buildings were converted into condos by Dauphin Reality

Sources

Russell, Celeste. The History of the Sisters of Mercy, St. Francis Place Luxury Condominiums Homes. March 9th 2008. Accessed October 12th 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20080309063046/http://www.dauphinrealty.com/StFrancisPlace/history.shtml.

Sledge, John. Historic Roman Catholic Properties in Mobile, Alabama, 1849-1928, National Register of Historic Places. September 14th 1990. Accessed October 12th 2020. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=64e0a0d0-e8d3-4891-87e3-a5078a37599c.

Sledge, John. Convent of Mercy, National Register of Historic Places. April 24th 1992. Accessed October 12th 2020. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=27692481-16a8-423f-8860-0b7e91aabba0.

Ericson, Sally Pearsall. Coming Sunday: Mobile's former Convent of Mercy building marks centennial, AL.com. December 19th 2008. Accessed October 12th 2020. https://www.al.com/live/2008/12/mobiles_former_convent_of_merc.html.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Google Maps Street View

National Register of Historic Places