Saint Joseph's University

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Barbelin Hall was completed in 1927 and was originally known as College Hall. The building was renamed in 1960 after the first President of Saint Joseph's College, Father Felix J. Barbelin. Barbelin Hall is the iconic face of Saint Joseph's University with its massive bell tower and Gothic architecture. In earlier years, Barbelin was home to the science department and held several laboratories and lecture halls. Currently, the College of Arts and Science occupies Barbelin Hall along with numerous classrooms and offices.

2. Mandeville Hall

In order to accommodate the uprising of business programs, Saint Joseph’s adapted with the completion of Mandeville Hall in 1998. The building housed many new technological elements that could be added to professors’ arsenals. With this new addition, Saint Joseph’s University secured their ticket to having one of the most prestigious business schools in the United States. Mandeville Hall not only expanded the institution’s programs but attracted a plethora of new eager business students and positively altered the culture of Saint Joseph’s University.

3. Hagan Arena and Sweeney Field

Since 1851, the school has brought Jesuit values to the city of Philadelphia, but it is also known for its athletics. The Hawk athletic’s story begins with its football team and the school’s grand plans to build a large football stadium. The later building of the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse set the precedent for a high energy venue filled with tradition, while Hagan Arena’s renovation was built on top of that. Saint Joe’s athletics have seen highs and lows over the years, but they have structures in place to host these events that offer a great experience for current and former Hawks. Many athletes have donned the crimson and gray to compete for the Hawks, with several athletes leaving an undeniable legacy for the sport and Saint Joe’s.

4. Bellarmine Hall, Post Hall, and the Science Center

In an effort to accommodate the increase in enrollment of the Saint Joseph’s University’s student body sprouting from the post-World War II boom, new academic buildings such as Bellarmine Hall, Post Hall, and the Science Center were built. Bellarmine Hall, built in 1960, expanded curriculum to include many new programs and allowed for the Cardboard College to be destroyed and make room for more academic buildings. Shortly after, Post Hall, formerly Villiger Hall, was constructed and brought the Food Marketing major to campus, which became one of the top rated majors amongst the Saint Joe’s population. Finally, the Science Center was built in the early 1970s which allowed for expansion of science programs and an even broader range of major options for students.

5. Drexel Library

The Drexel Library has a long and storied history, and serves as a reminder of the history of Saint Joseph's University. From its conception, creation, migration, construction, and renovation, the Drexel Library has represented the Jesuit values Saint Joseph's and its students strive to exemplify. Its evolution over the decades is a testament not only to the library itself, but the University as a whole, as it continues to evolve to better serve our ever-changing world.

6. Wolfington Chapel and Center

The Wolfington Center has been a staple of SJU since the 1890’s. In 2022 it still serves as a Welcome Center, Office of Mission Programs, and organizes many different events. The Chapel of Saint Joseph, is a place for worship, mass, a place for reflection, and prayer. Built and ready for its first service in 1992, The Chapel has been a prominent part of SJU for over 25 years. The Chapel is where church services and many other events take place. Both the Center and the Chapel changed the school forever, honoring the Jesuits, Catholic priests, and educators who fought for and honored everything the Jesuit mission stands for. Turning back time to “Old Saint Joseph's.” In the mid-1800s, before both the Center and Chapel arrived on the campus, students gathered in swarms in a courtyard located at Saint Joseph’s Church, in the city itself. After attending mass, these students (all men at this time), moved over to attend class in the educational building which was right across the street.

7. Campion Student Center, Sourin Hall, LaFarge

Campion, LaFarge, and Sourin were built to promote student life, at a time when the number of residential undergraduates were growing and spending time on campus started to become more and more popular. During the mid-20th century Saint Joseph’s University experienced a shift from commuter students to residential students and buildings like Campion, Sourin, and LaFarge were essential for housing students and making living on campus more popular.

8. Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center

This property came to be a part of Saint Joseph’s University in 2012 but has an interesting history with ownership ranging from indigenous peoples to Quakers to the Catholic Church. The building that still stands today was initially built almost 150 years ago in 1882. The building currently serves as the headquarters for campus tours, making it the first impression prospective students and family have of Saint Joe’s. The building also currently serves as the home of several works of art from the David L. Wolfe ‘60 Art Collection.

9. Maguire Campus, Saint Joseph's University

Episcopal Academy’s campus was a fine addition to the growing Saint Joseph's University. While the purchase was a strain on the wallet of Saint Joseph's it allowed for unimaginable growth as an institution. The campus had a 58% increase in overall campus size with the purchase Included in the land are baseball fields, which the campus did not have yet, even though it had a baseball team. There was also another regular sports field which would help expand the school into other D1 sports and club sports. There was an emphasis on the amenities of the campus, in an effort to make the school more residential. Most of the buildings on the Maguire campus were in use by the Episcopal Academy, the former owner. There were also 250 parking spots which would help a crucial problem that all college campuses struggle with. There was also the Cardinal Foley campus center in the middle of Saint Joseph's Maguire campus which stands as a symbol of pride for all Hawks. The story of Cardinal Foley remains an inspiration to everyone who knows it, and the building is representative of this. The addition of their campus allowed Saint Joseph’s to grow massively in influence and ability to provide their students with a bountiful education and experience.

10. McShain Hall

McShain Hall opened on September 4th, 1988, housing 300 students and staff in the Neo-Gothic building. This state of the art building combined classrooms with dormitories, and was decorated with the new high tech of 1988. The building is named after John McShain, one of Saint Joseph’s University’s most famous and accomplished alumni, who worked on several Washington D.C buildings, such as the Pentagon, Jefferson Memorial, and State Department building. Before he became known as "the man who built Washington," he built Barbelin Hall, the first building on the new Overbrook campus. In 1988, the University decided to honor him as the namesake of the new dormitory. The building cost eleven million dollars to build (twenty six million dollars adjusted for inflation) and was met with a week-long celebration of various events. The opening of McShain Hall was also monumental for the bridge that now connected Philadelphia and Montgomery county, changing Saint Joseph’s University into a mix between City and Suburbs.

11. Lapsley Lane

Lapsley Lane is a collection of historical houses on Saint Joseph's University Campus originally purchased by the University to expand their footprint in the area to provide more space for student housing and classrooms. Located on the Lower Merion side of campus, these houses are used for both academic and administrative services, as well as an art gallery located in the building now known as Boland Hall. Purchased by the college in the late 1950s to early 1960s from a variety of owners, many of these houses have their own histories connecting to the larger Barnes Foundation site.

12. Barnes Arboretum and Maguire Museum

Before Saint Joseph's University acquired this land in 2018, the Barnes Arboretum and Maguire Museum belonged to the late Albert Barnes and his world-renowned art collection that is now exhibited by the Barnes Foundation. Although this site now welcomes anyone from the Greater Philadelphia Community to explore the property and learn about Art History and Horticulture, it has not always been such a welcoming place. The opening of the Barnes Foundation and its development after Barnes' passing came with many complications and controversies. However as it stands today, this site provides a beautiful representation of the continuous development of Saint Joseph's University and its contributions to the greater Philadelphia area.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Saint Joseph's University

Created by Jeffrey Hyson on May 6th 2022, 12:57:23 am.

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This walking tour explores the Hawk Hill campus of Saint Joseph's University. Founded in 1851, Saint Joseph's was originally located on Willings Alley in Old City Philadelphia. After relocating to 17th and Stiles Streets in 1889, the college finally moved to its current location in 1927. The entries in this tour were created by students in Dr. Jeffrey Hyson's Spring 2022 course, "Museums, Monuments, and Media: History in Public."

Entries on This Tour

Saint Joseph's University

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