Landscape: A History of Mount St. John

Authors:

Donald Geiger, SM

In Landscape: A History of Mount St. John, Brother Donald Geiger, SM, takes the reader on a historical journey of this beloved Marianist sacred space. In words and in pictures Brother Don charts how the Mount has “developed” as apostolic needs have shifted. From a firsthand perspective, Brother Don, a plant biologist, also tells the story of how parts of this beautiful landscape became protected land.

29 pgs.

Troubled History of Marianist College

On May 15, 1960, ground was broken for the building of Marianist College, which would house the growing number of young student-brothers at that time. Bishop Alter dedicated it (Appendix 7). The establishment of Marianist College to offer classes for scholastics was impressive, but short lived. At its peak in the early 1960s there were 215 scholastics living there. In 1965 Marianist College was named as the central part of the University of Dayton’s East Campus. This “East Campus” ceased with the departure of many of the scholastics from the Society of Mary in the late 1960s. In 1970 with only some 30 scholastics remaining, the Marianist College Scholasticate closed. This was the beginning of a new era in which community-centered post-novitiate formation was to take place in local communities.

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Introduction

“Developing the Land”

Glacial Beginnings

Settlement

The Ludlow Survey

Shaker Settlement

Establishment of Mount St. John

St. Ann’s Novitiate

St. John Normal School

Prominent Statues on the Property

Razing, Reconfiguration, and Other Areas of the Mount

Marianist Cemetery Established on Mount St. John

A Period of New Ministries and New Construction

Establishment of Bergamo

Building of Queen of Apostles Chapel

Troubled History of Marianist College

Impact of Farming at Mount St. John

Loss of a Large Portion of the Property Due to Interstate 675

Establishment of the Borrow Pit Tallgrass Prairie

Protection Through a Conservation Easement

The Front Field

Marianist Environmental Education Center

New Buildings

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Basic