St. Clara Female Academy

St. Clara Female Academy was a 19th-century American parochial school, a Roman Catholic institution, in Wisconsin. After a series of changes, it is now known as Dominican University.

The Catholic college at Sinsinawa Mound, named Sinsinawa Mound College, was incorporated in 1848, and was under the management, for many years, of Father Samuel Mazzuchelli. This institution, together with the Female Academy at Benton, 12 miles (19 km) from the Mound, were established by Mazzuchelli, from the means which were furnished him by a wealthy sister, in Milan, Italy. This school was converted, some years afterwards, into the Saint Clara Female Academy. Saint Clara Academy, which Mazzuchelli founded at Sinsinawa Mound, but had transferred to Benton, Wisconsin returned to the Mound in 1864, the sisters purchasing the old buildings of Sinsinawa Mound College. The head of the institution was Mother Emily Power, whose early education was received from the founder.

The academy was situated at Sinsinawa on the side of Sinsinawa Mound, Grant County, Wisconsin, in the extreme southwestern corner of the state, within the angle formed by the Mississippi River and the Illinois boundary line. Sinsinawa, in the Sioux dialect, is translated "Home of the Young Eagle". The school was upon the southern slope of the hill, sheltered from the sweeping north winds. It was about 129 feet (39 m) below the summit, yet above the reach of the miasma from the river. The grounds in front of the building were filled with an extensive growth of Norway pine, cedar and arbor vitae. Elsewhere in the grounds, nature was left to itself, excepting in opening several smooth, wide lawns. The entire estate comprised 360 acres (150 ha). The enclosure immediately surrounding the academy, composing ornamental and recreation grounds, contained 50 acres (20 ha).

The academy was originally located at Benton, Wisconsin, 12 miles (19 km) further to the northeast, and a sandstone structure was erected there for boarding school purposes, built in the form of a hollow quadrangle, after a plan in the European style by the founder, who was architect as well as superintendent of all the public buildings with which he was connected. In 1807, the new place was bought, as the position offered inducements superior even to the costly new structure. This building was of sandstone from a quarry on the estate built in 1845. It was four stories in height, with an observatory of three additional stories, which, from the elevated position of the building, offered a fine view of plains and the broad Mississippi. Adjoining the main building was another, erected as a hall for commencement day assemblies, concerts, lectures, and so forth, and capable of seating 2,500 persons. An extensive cabinet of philosophical and astronomical apparatus is connected with the house, a large share of which was donated from the private resources of the founder. This collection was annually increased as discoveries in science required. The entire range of buildings was heated by steam, the machinery having been in constant use at least eight months of the year.

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