We mainly know the St. Michael’s Orphanage from photos like this of the front of the imposing building that faced the street.
But with the help of our growing collection of images, here are views of three additional structures that were out of sight behind the main building.
These include the Chapel addition, the separate Gymnasium / Auditorium building, and the back of the South wing.
To further explore the St. Michael’s site with lots more pictures, including inside the buildings, come to the upcoming talk on St. Michael’s Orphanage: A Visual History, on Wed., May 8 at 7 pm. You can attend in person at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, or online via Zoom.
And see more on the St. Michael’s Orphanage Photo Collection.
Chapel Building (1905)
The Chapel was constructed in 1905 as an extension behind the original St. Michael’s building, which was built in 1898.
The Chapel was on the top floor, complete with tall stained glass windows. It was built on a base with two floors that extended out from the main building as the ground dropped away. The lower floors included the dining room and associated eating spaces.
This photo shows the chapel (on the left) extending back behind the main building, with the bell tower at the top of the original building, and the large stained glass window at the end of the chapel (behind the altar). The building behind (on the right) is the utility building, including the large chimney.
Gym Building (1922) and Farm
This recreational building was built in 1922 as a separate structure behind the south side of the orphanage. It was designed for dual use, as both a gymnasium and as a auditorium with a 20 foot wide stage.
The gym was used for basketball, including by Hopewell town teams, and the auditorium was used for events including concerts, movies, and events such as communion breakfast.
This photo shows the St. Michael’s gym building as seen from the main building, with the farm buildings that supported the orphanage behind in the distance.
South Wing (1931)
The South wing was built in 1931 as the final step in expanding the building to meet the still-growing demand to support orphans and abandoned children.
The lower floors were used for the St. Michael’s school, which served as a parochial school for both the resident children and local day students.
This photo shows the rear of the South wing as seen from the playground area, with a door leading in to the school rooms on the bottom floor.
These photos are courtesy of the archives of the Sisters of St. Francis, the order that operated and staffed St. Michael’s throughout its existence.
== Upcoming talk on St. Michael’s Orphanage: A Visual History – Wed., May 8, 2024 ==
== See more on the St. Michael’s Orphanage Photo Collection ==
Please contact us if you have additional photos, materials, or information to share about St. Michael’s to help in this research!
More on St. Michael’s Orphanage
St. Michael’s Orphan Asylum and Industrial School operated for three quarters of a century (1898 to 1973) just south of Hopewell, providing support and education for abandoned and neglected children.
Presentation
- Main page – St. Michael’s – History, Presentation Video, Media, and References
- Talk – St. Michael’s Orphanage: A Visual History – Wed., May 8, 2024
Posts – and History Briefs
- Post and Brief – St. Michael’s Orphanage
- Post and Brief – The St. Michael’s Cemetery – and Celtic Cross
Posts – Photos
- Post – Photos of St. Michael’s Kids
- Post – St. Michael’s Photos – Behind the Building
- Post – St. Michael’s Orphanage Photo Collection
Posts – Records and Documentation
- Post & docs – St. Michael’s Orphanage – Census Records (1900-1950)
- Post & docs – St. Michael’s School & Mission Annual Reports, 1940s-1973
- Post & docs – St. Michael’s Orphanage – Farm Report – 1914
- Post – Investigating History in Hopewell Maps – St. Michael’s Building
Resources
- St. Michael’s School pages from the Pennington Borough Historical Website
(History, photos, 1900 census, memories)
Media
- Images – View the 200+ St. Michael’s images on the History Project site
- Video – Songs and Prayers of the Children of St. Michael’s Orphanage – 1930s
- Video – A Home in the Country: The Story of St. Michael’s Orphanage, by Jack Koeppel, 2016 Hopewell Public Library presentation
