Immaculate Conception Academy (Davenport, Iowa)

Immaculate Conception Academy
Eighth Street facade
Location	Eighth and Main Streets Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates	41°31′42″N 90°34′30″W / 41.52833°N 90.57500°W / 41.52833; -90.57500Coordinates: 41°31′42″N 90°34′30″W / 41.52833°N 90.57500°W / 41.52833; -90.57500
Built	1884, 1906, 1909
Architect	Victor Huot
Architectural style(s)	Second Empire
Governing body	Private
Location of Immaculate Conception Academy in Iowa

Immaculate Conception Academy, known locally as ICA, was a Catholic girls' high school located in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was begun by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) in 1859 and it remained in operation until it merged with St. Ambrose Academy in 1958 to form Assumption High School. The academy building remains in use as an academic building on the campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic.

In 1844 the Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourges, pastor of St. Anthony's Church in Davenport petitioned Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque for Sisters to teach in the parish school and to open a girls' school in the town. Five BVM Sisters arrived the same year and established St. Philomena's Academy in a three-story brick house that was still under construction. Unfortunately, most of the parishioners at St. Anthony's, then Davenport's only parish, were mostly poor Irish immigrants. At the same time membership in the congregation had dropped by half as many settlers stopped in Davenport for only a short time as they headed west to their permanent home. Because of low attendance and little money, the Sisters were forced to close the school in 1847.

Father Pelamourges continued to petition the bishop to send Sisters and Brothers to Davenport to open schools. After Pelamourges returned to France to visit his ailing father in 1852, Antoine LeClaire, who was the principle founder of the city of Davenport, and Judge G.C.R. Mitchell petitioned Bishop Loras to send religious to Davenport to staff a school for Catholic children. In 1855 the BVM Sisters returned to Davenport to staff St. Anthony's School. Judge Mitchell and his wife offered the Sisters ten acres of land northwest of Davenport to operate an academy for girls. The following year the offer was accepted and Sister Mary Agnes Hurley, BVM was given the responsibility for building the new school. A two-story brick building with a one-story chapel wing was built and the Academy of the Immaculate Conception was opened in 1859. The location proved to be its downfall. There were no roads that led to the academy and the Financial Panic of 1857 created financial difficulties. In the first two years only seven students were enrolled in the school.