University Village in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
St. Ignatius College Prep Building
Toussaint Menard, architect; 1866-74
| | Chicago Landmark | |
Photographed by Sean Flynn, June 21, 2024
1. St. Ignatius College Prep Building Marker
Designated on March 18, 1987
Harold Washington, Mayor
Erected 1987 by Commission on Chicago Landmarks; City of Chicago.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Chicago's Surviving Pre-Fire Structures, and the Illinois, Chicago Landmarks Commission series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.
Location. 41° 52.031′ N, 87° 39.244′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in University Village. It can be reached from West Roosevelt Road west of South Blue Island Avenue, on the right when traveling west. The marker
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, 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: Father Arnold Damen, S.J. (a few steps from this marker); Joseph Lovings (approx. 0.3 miles away); Still Here: Zhegagoynak, A Monument and Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (approx. 0.3 miles away); Jane Addams Homes (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Demolition of the Jane Addams Homes (approx. 0.3 miles away); Deverra Beverly's Quilt (approx. 0.3 miles away); Deverra Beverly (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all
Photographed by Sean Flynn, June 21, 2024
2. St. Ignatius College Prep Building Marker
The statue of school founder Rev. Arnold Damen can be seen in the background of this east-facing photo; Roosevelt Road is on the right.
Regarding St. Ignatius College Prep Building. The Jesuit-run St. Ignatius remains one of the Chicago area's premier Catholic high schools. Its founder, Fr. Arnold J. Damen, whose statue is a short walk away, is the namesake of Damen Avenue, one of Chicago's main north-south thoroughfares, which was renamed after the Jesuit priest in 1927.
This building is one of just five public buildings in Chicago to predate the Great Chicago Fire, whose destruction extended less than half a mile from here. According to a 2007 article about the building's restoration (see link 3 below), Mrs. O'Leary, whose cow was blamed for starting the fire, was a member of the neighboring church, Holy Family.
Also see . . .
1. St. Ignatius College Prep timeline. A history of the school, from its official website.
Excerpt: "Due to the cost of borrowing money after the Civil War and the fact that Holy Family Church parishioners were newly-settled Irish immigrants, establishing a Jesuit college in Chicago during the late 19th century appeared to be an impossibility. But Father Damen accomplished the unthinkable without requesting(Submitted on June 21, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)financial assistance from his parishioners. Instead, he began a fundraising campaign for which he traveled across the country and to Europe to raise the money to build Saint Ignatius College Prep."Photographed by Sean Flynn, June 21, 20243. St. Ignatius College Prep and the Church of the Holy FamilyThe historical marker is just off camera, below the bottom of the photo.
2. Chicagology: St. Ignatius College Prep. (Submitted on June 21, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
3. Not Just Another Concrete Block: The Restoration of St. Ignatius College Prep, Chicago. A 2007 article about the restoration of the building, by the school's former president, Father Donald Rowe, S.J. Father Rowe died in 2021.
Excerpt: "St. Ignatius is one of the five public preGreat Fire buildings extant in Chicago. Its style is a Chicago frontier-town version of Second Empire, which was popular in 1870. Fr. Damen, the Belgian immigrant Jesuit priest who founded the parish and school and had both buildings built, wanted them to look like buildings he knew at home."(Submitted on June 21, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean Flynn, June 21, 2024
4. St. Ignatius College Prep Building
Photographed by Sean Flynn, June 21, 2024
5. Father Arnold Damen, S.J., statue
A statue to the school's founder, Arnold J. Damen, can be found just east of the historical marker. Father Damen is described on the statue as "Jesuit educator, pioneer, pastor-preacher." He was born in 1815 and died in 1890.
Chicago Daily News Collection, Chicago History Museum, 1906
6. St. Ignatius College Prep
This 1906 photo of the school building was taken from Blue Island Avenue south of what was then known as 12th Street (now Roosevelt Road). The neighboring Church of the Holy Family is on the left but is mostly obscured by another building.
Photographed by Chicago History Museum (ICHi-059766), circa 1923
7. Church of the Holy Family
Part of the St. Ignatius building can be seen on the right side.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 696 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on June 21, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
