University Park in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

St. Mary’s Hall

Photographed by Richard Drabik, July 13, 2007

1. St. Mary's Hall Marker

Inscription. Constructed in 1870, St. Mary’s Hall was once the largest building in Dayton. A National Historic Landmark, the building was formerly the main facility of St. Mary’s Institute, now the University of Dayton. Known as Dewberry Farm, the land for the Institute was purchased from John Stewart on March 19, 1850 and the school opened its doors to fourteen students on July 1 of that year. In 1878 St. Mary’s Institute was incorporated and in 1882 was empowered to confer degrees.

Erected 1974 by Montgomery County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1786.

Location. 39° 44.404′ N, 84° 10.663′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in University Park. It is on College Park Avenue when traveling south. It is on the campus of the University of Dayton. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dayton OH 45469, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Erma Bombeck (within shouting distance of this marker); First Members of the Society of Mary in North America in 1849 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Campaign for the University of Dayton (about 400 feet away); National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

(about 400 feet away); Blessed (about 700 feet away); Wrights Rest at Woodland (approx. 0.2 miles away); Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum (approx. 0.2 miles away); DAR Veterans Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Additional commentary.
1. National Historic Landmark status
Note that while the marker states that the hall is a National Historic Landmark, the structure does not appear on the lists of such sites provided by the National Park Service. It is suspected that the site may, instead, be on the National Register of Historic Places.

— Submitted October 14, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.

St. Mary’s Hall image. Click for full size.

2011

2. St. Mary’s Hall

Photographed by Craig Baker, April 19, 2021

3. St. Mary’s Hall

<i>St. Mary's Institute, Dayton, O. </i> image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.B. Meller & Son, circa 1907

4. St. Mary's Institute, Dayton, O.

Visible in this postcard view are (left to right): St. Joseph's Hall (1884), the powerhouse (with smokestack), Liberty Hall (only the roofline is visible, behind the powerhouse, 1866), the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception (1869), Chaminade Hall (1904), and St. Mary's Hall (1870, partially obscured by Chaminade Hall.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 13, 2007, by Richard Drabik of Dayton, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,190 times since then and 87 times this year. Last updated on January 14, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1. submitted on July 13, 2007, by Richard Drabik of Dayton, Ohio. 2. submitted on January 14, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 3. submitted on April 19, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on November 20, 2014. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.