Originally founded in the City of Windsor in 1864 by the Community of Holy Names of Mary & Jesus, with a few nuns from Montreal. St. Mary’s Academy was originally located in downtown Windsor on Ouellette Ave. By the late 1920’s the Sisters had an old school building on very valuable land. The order sold the building and land to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Corporation, the land is now the site of the Canadian Tunnel Plaza. The original building was demolished in 1929.
The second St. Mary’s opened in 1928.
However the massive sprawling Gothic complex that was built in 1928 in South Windsor was an amazing structure.
Designed by a Sister from the order, not an architect, the massive building stood guard over south Windsor until April 1977. On the afternoon of April 29, Controlled Demolition Inc. (CDI), that same company that imploded Hudson’s, imploded St. Mary’s.
A lousy sub-division replaced the Majestic structure, the developer even called the sub-division “The Gates Of St. Mary’s”. Almost immediately the decision to demolish St. Mary’s was regretted, and that in turn help to turn some sympathies towards preservation.
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Some of the stained glass windows, most of the chapel altar, the 3 doors to the chapel, the keystone over the front entrance doors have all been preserved at 3140 Peter Street. When the sisters sold the property part of the deal was to build a larger 'mother house'. The sisters have been here since 1864, rebuilt in 1927 and again in 1977. The property is now an accommodation of 'rooms and suites for students, professionals and travelers' known as "University Place". It is on the 2012 Open Doors tour this September. Visitors are welcome year long. Over night guests are welcome. (www.WindsorExecutiveStay.com)
The beige brick gate posts of the Academy are still in tact as of August, 2012. They can be found at 3350 Academy Dr. and across the street at 3355 Academy Dr.
I remember Mr. LaPensee, the bus driver and his home and family on that property when I attended St. Mary's from 1937-1950..a wonderful place, just as everyone says.
i remember doing a poem when they demolished it and was put in the star at a later time i have tried looking through the archives with out any luck how can i go about seeing if they might have it still
i also ad picture taken whn we had a road party off rankn street in south windsor and can t find it either would have been wheni was about 7 or 8 yrs old so in 1966 67
can anyone help me out as grand daughte does not believe her gramma was ina news paper article adn obits dont count
Thank you for the comment about my father Merle. The interest in St. Mary's Academy has really risen especially over the past year for some reason. More seems to be available to see now. Also there is a bookstore on Ottawa St. called Juniper. They have come out with several books about Windsor history including The Academy in them. The latest was just released "500 Ways You Know You're From Windsor". You can see the video on youtube and also the book has been released. Excellent, excellent pics of St.Mary's, Boblo, Marios Restauarnt, Hi Ho etc. Also a paperback book was released by the nuns when it was demolished, I don't know if there was a limited edition on this book, however, there are pics of chapel, stained glass windows, parlours etc.Many , many students from beginning to end are in there also. As I pointed out in a previous email...St. Mary's Academy is now on Facebook and they're adding stuff and comments daily.Alot of people are reconnecting with friends and boarders and even nuns from the past. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!!!! :) by the way...the booklet that the nuns had put out back then was called Memoirs and it is blue.
I came from Michigan and attended St. Mary's when it was a boys boarding school. A wonderful lay teacher spent many hours teaching me and another boy. Her help enriched my life in countless ways.... I wish I knew her name so I could say Thank You.....
My mother and aunt attended St. Marys. If anyone has a copy of the documentary of the school, I would be willing to pay for a copy. My mother is in her 80's and I would like her to see it before she is gone.
Thank you.
I also attended The Acadamy 1945 - 1958. I used to walk to schoolfrom Curry Ave, through the bush until the road was cut through. Many friends from those wonderful days. Music was my 1st love and the large concert room with the grand pianos gave the best sound and feeling of such pleasure when I was allowed to sit there and play those awsome instruments. I also remember Mrs. Violet Webb Leach as our gym instructer.Too many wonderful sisters, academic as well as music ,to name. A very good friend in Windsor sent me news paper photos of that day which I still have. St Mary's shaped all of us who attended this beautiful school, we became the people we are today because of the lives we all learned to live ,within those stately walls.
I have over 30 souvenirs of SMA including the "Day of Sadness" tv special on dvd. I was in the last class of boys at SMA. My brother and I left in June , 1957. I organized the Friends of St. Marys Academy in 1995 with Sr. John Thomas. Would love to hear from other former students. Ward Case wardcase@gmail.com
Hi Ward. I started 1st grade with Sr Lumena in 1953. There were a few boys in my class. I remember there was an Eric and a Robert Palmer. Two female boarders from Detroit were Robin Walsh and Marguerite Tassi. I also remember Sandra Monik, Lynn Patrick, Patricia Venning, Maureen Burke, Andrea Lusk. Perhaps a few others if I think VERY hard. I can't imagine what the occasion was but I remember Eric and a couple of other boys being dressed in velvet and lace 'costumes'. I loved St Mary's. I was last there in 1973. I never imagined I would never see the building again. I'm so grateful I didn't realize that at the time. I was living in Atlanta and not long after, moved to South Africa where I still live. Sister John Thomas was my sister's teacher. All the best, melissa