Timeline of Alverno College History

In 1874 the School Sisters of St. Francis arrived in Wisconsin led by Mother Alexia Hoell and Mother Alfons Schmid. They settled in New Cassel (now Campbellsport), Wisconsin.

Mother Alexia Hoell, Co-foundress of the School Sisters of St. Francis

Mother Alfons Schmid, Co-foundress of the School Sisters of St. Francis

This is the New Cassel motherhouse.

As the Sisters’ numbers grew, a new convent was needed to accommodate their flourishing order.  Their new home was eventually built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on a parcel of land that was purchased in 1886. The new convent and grounds, built near Milwaukee’s southwest city limits, would be the future home to the St. Joseph Normal School, the precursor of Alverno College.

This image is from the book, He Sent Two: The Story of the Beginning of the School Sisters of St. Francis by Sister Mary Francis Borgia, O.S.F. The book, which was published in 1965, is part of the Alverno College Library collection, call # 271.973 R846.

In 1887 in a wing of the convent, St. Joseph's Normal School, the precursor of Alverno College was founded to teach School Sisters of St. Francis to be parish teachers. Mother Alexia Hoell is considered the first president of Alverno College (1887-1995) as she acted in that capacity at the Normal School.

In 1890,  St. Joseph Normal School received a charter from the state of Wisconsin to grant degrees.

The first Motherhouse of the School Sisters of St. Francis was destroyed by fire on March 31, 1890.

The sisters had the Motherhouse rebuilt. It was completed and opened on January 5, 1891.

This image is also from the book, He Sent Two: The Story of the Beginning of the School Sisters of St. Francis by Sister Mary Francis Borgia, O.S.F.  The book, which was published in 1965, is part of the Alverno College Library collection, call # 271.973 R846.

This second structure eventually housed Alverno Teachers College and St. Joseph Convent Conservatory of Music. The Motherhouse still stands at 1501 S. Layton Blvd. Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is now known as the St. Joseph Center. It still serves as the World Headquarters for the School Sisters of Saint Francis.

In 1893, the School Sisters of St. Francis established Sacred Heart Sanitarium. Built on land adjacent to the Motherhouse, it opened its doors in December of that year.

Sacred Heart Sanitarium would become the future home of Sacred Heart School of Nursing (precursor to the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing) which was established in 1930.