University Heights in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

John Carroll University

Founded in 1886

Photographed by J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019

1. John Carroll University Marker

Inscription. John Carroll University opened its doors as Saint Ignatius College on September 6, 1888. Originally located on Cleveland’s West Side, the College was founded at the request of Bishop Richard Gilmour by German members of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits, founded in 1540). In 1923, the College was renamed John Carroll University after America’s first bishop. In 1925, the University acquired land in Idlewood Village (now University Heights) and initiated construction of a new campus in 1931. Classes began there in 1935 with 456 students. The institution admitted laywomen to evening and graduate classes in the 1930s and officially became coeducational in 1968. The University’s Jesuit Catholic mission inspires individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service, both regionally and worldwide. John Carroll University is one of 28 Jesuit institutions of higher learning in the United States.

Erected 2011 by John Carroll University and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 104-18.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Religion & Religious Structures.

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In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 6, 1888.

Location. 41° 29.403′ N, 81° 31.93′ W. Marker is in University Heights, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It can be reached from the intersection of John Carroll Boulevard and Fairmount Circle. It is between the Grasselli Library and the Administration Building on the Hamlin Quad. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 John Carroll Boulevard, Cleveland OH 44118, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland,

on the Lake Erie Shore,

and in the Western Reserve.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Florence E. Allen (approx. 1.1 miles

Photographed by J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019

2. John Carroll University Marker

The Administration Building is in the background.

away); East Family (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Village Garden Club (approx. 1.6 miles away); Horseshoe Lake (approx. 1.6 miles away); Jacob Russell (approx. 1.7 miles away); Site of Center Family (approx. 1.8 miles away); Shaker Gate Posts (approx. 1.8 miles away); David Berger Memorial (approx. 2.2 miles away).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This link is for Saint Ignatius High School on Cleveland’s West Side, where the university started.

Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry. Excerpt:

The Jesuits who founded St. Ignatius College were exiles from Germany, forced out by Otto von Bismarck’s Kulturkampf. They brought with them the traditional structure of the Jesuit college as an extension of the apostolate of the religious community to prepare the student morally as well as intellectually. The principal instrument of this education was the classical course of seven years, in which the first three years were devoted to learning languages as necessary tools. The student was then considered prepared for university work. The next four years were devoted to the study of classical
Photographed by J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019

3. John Carroll University Marker
The Grasselli Library is in the background.
literature and Latin and Greek prose and poetry, and to developing the ability to express one's self in these languages, as well as in the vernacular, orally and in writing. The final year was devoted to philosophy. There were also electives in the sciences, history, and geography, as well as other subjects. If the student completed only six years, a certificate was given. Completion of the year of philosophy made the student eligible for the baccalaureate degree, which the college was empowered to grant when it was chartered in 1890. The first two degrees were awarded in 1895.

(Submitted on July 23, 2019.)

Photographed by Craig Doda, December 7, 2025

4. John Carroll University Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on December 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 963 times since then and 115 times this year. Last updated on January 9, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 23, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on December 14, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.