Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Academy of The Holy Names

Photographed By AGS Media, September 5, 2011

1. Academy of The Holy Names Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

On Sept. 14, 1896, Sisters of the Holy Names established The Academy of The Holy Names by order of Bishop John Moore. Sisters Mary Emiline and Mary Hubert were the first teachers in this brick school.
On Nov. 29, 1896, Fr. William Tyrrell, S.J., offered the first Catholic mass in West Tampa in the second floor chapel. It is here that the history of St. Joseph Parish begins. In 1930, when the Academy was moved to Bayshore, the Salesian Sisters took charge of the school renaming it St. Joseph School. In 1955, the school moved to Cherry and MacDill.

Donated by: West Tampa Centennial Society, Inc.
Sponsored by: The Tampa Historical Society
September 14, 1996

Erected 1996 by the West Tampa Centennial Society, Inc. and the Tampa Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Education. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1779.

Location. 27° 57.566′ N, 82° 28.843′ W. Marker is in Tampa, Florida, in Hillsborough County. Marker is at the intersection

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of North Albany Avenue and West Spruce Street, on the right when traveling north on North Albany Avenue. The marker is in front of the Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2001 North Albany Avenue, Tampa FL 33607, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Beginning of the Cigar Industry in West Tampa (approx. 0.2 miles away); West Tampa Free Public Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Centro Español de West Tampa (approx. ¼ mile away); Morgan Cigar Factory (approx. 0.4 miles away); Rough Rider Encampment (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Andres Diaz Building (approx. ¾ mile away); Benjamin Field/George N. Benjamin b 1859 d 1926 (approx. ¾ mile away); Hugh C. Macfarlane (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tampa.

More about this marker. The marker is capped with the seal of the former city of West Tampa.

Regarding Academy of The Holy Names. The brick building that once housed the Academy of The Holy Names, then the St. Joseph School, today is home to the Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ.

The school founded in 1896 was meant specifically for the city of West Tampa, and was a sister school to the Academy of the Holy Names which had been established in 1881 in neighboring Tampa. When the local cigar industry became so successful, both cities saw an influx of Catholic immigrants from places like Cuba, Spain, and Italy.

When the

Photographed By AGS Media, September 5, 2011

2. Academy of The Holy Names Marker

Spanish-American war broke out in 1898, the classes here were suspended so that the building could serve as a military hospital. At this site were treated over 800 U.S. soldiers. After the close of the war and once the hospital was no longer needed, classes once again resumed in the building.

The building is a Contributing Structure within the West Tampa Historic District (a National Historic District).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Photographed By AGS Media, September 5, 2011

3. Academy of The Holy Names Marker

Miracle Temple Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By AGS Media, September 5, 2011

4. Miracle Temple Sign

The former brick school building presently serves as a place of worship.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 14, 2017. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2011, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 839 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 6, 2011, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.