St. Edward Seminary
Encyclopedia
Saint Edward Seminary
(sometimes "Saint Edward's Seminary") was an institution for developing Catholic priests in Washington state, USA. Named for Saint Edward the Confessor
and located in the city of Kenmore
, it operated for 46 years before closing in 1976. The seminary
and most of its grounds now constitute Saint Edward State Park
. The seminary was located on a 366 acre (148.1 ha; 0.571875505636974 sq mi) property purchased in the late 1920s. Building plans were scaled back in 1929 due to the Great Depression
. In 1931, the seminary opened as a minor seminary; it became a major (college level) seminary in 1935. In 1958, Saint Thomas the Apostle Seminary opened as a major seminary on 50 acres of the site and St. Edward continued as a minor seminary. The Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle closed St. Edward in 1976 and sold it to the State of Washington in 1977. It became Saint Edward State Park
in 1978. After St. Thomas closed, Bastyr University
leased and later bought that campus.
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
(sometimes "Saint Edward's Seminary") was an institution for developing Catholic priests in Washington state, USA. Named for Saint Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
and located in the city of Kenmore
Kenmore, Washington
Kenmore is a city in King County, Washington, United States, along the northernmost shores of Lake Washington...
, it operated for 46 years before closing in 1976. The seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
and most of its grounds now constitute Saint Edward State Park
Saint Edward State Park
Saint Edward State Park is a -park in Kenmore, Washington and Kirkland, Washington. It is part of the Washington State Park System. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park...
. The seminary was located on a 366 acre (148.1 ha; 0.571875505636974 sq mi) property purchased in the late 1920s. Building plans were scaled back in 1929 due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1931, the seminary opened as a minor seminary; it became a major (college level) seminary in 1935. In 1958, Saint Thomas the Apostle Seminary opened as a major seminary on 50 acres of the site and St. Edward continued as a minor seminary. The Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle closed St. Edward in 1976 and sold it to the State of Washington in 1977. It became Saint Edward State Park
Saint Edward State Park
Saint Edward State Park is a -park in Kenmore, Washington and Kirkland, Washington. It is part of the Washington State Park System. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park...
in 1978. After St. Thomas closed, Bastyr University
Bastyr University
Bastyr University was established as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1978 in Seattle, Washington by Sheila Quinn, Joseph Pizzorno, ND, LM; William Mitchell, ND; and Les Griffith, ND, LM...
leased and later bought that campus.
History
- 1920s: The land for the seminary is purchased by Bishop Edward J. O'Dea , using his own personal inheritance, and donated to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle for the purpose of building a seminary for diocesan priests
- October 13, 1930: Bishop O'Dea blesses the cornerstone for construction.
- 1931: Saint Edward Seminary opens, staffed by priests of the Sulpician Order (also known as Society of St. Sulpice), a teaching order.
- 1935: Major seminary classes are added.
- 1939: The first class of 12 men is ordained.
- 1958: St. Thomas the Apostle Seminary opens on the higher ground of the property; St. Edward resumed its status as exclusively a minor seminary .
- 1969: The Carole Ann Wald Swimming Pool was dedicated, named for the sister of a seminary student, by their father a major donor. After the closing of the seminary, the pool provided indoor/year round public swimming programs for all ages and abilities, and home practice facility to nearby Inglemoor High School Viking men http://www.nsd.org/education/sportszone/sportszone.php?sectionid=2019 and women http://www.nsd.org/education/sportszone/sportszone.php?sectionid=2623 swim teams. It also is used as a practice facility by the Seattle Sychronized Swimming group.
- 1976: Due to declining enrollment, Saint Edward’s Seminary closes. The high school program continues for a short time at JFK High School in SeattleSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. - 1977: The State of Washington buys most of the property (316 acres) with the assistance of a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the Washington Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. The property becomes Saint Edward State ParkSaint Edward State ParkSaint Edward State Park is a -park in Kenmore, Washington and Kirkland, Washington. It is part of the Washington State Park System. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park...
. The grounds of Saint Thomas Seminary (renamed Saint Thomas Center) are leased by Bastyr UniversityBastyr UniversityBastyr University was established as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1978 in Seattle, Washington by Sheila Quinn, Joseph Pizzorno, ND, LM; William Mitchell, ND; and Les Griffith, ND, LM...
, and subsequently purchased by the university in 2005. - 1997: The former Saint Edward Seminary building is placed on the Washington State Heritage Register.
- 2005: Bastyr buys out its leased property.
- 2005: Washington State Parks begins a land-use planning project for Saint Edward State ParkSaint Edward State ParkSaint Edward State Park is a -park in Kenmore, Washington and Kirkland, Washington. It is part of the Washington State Park System. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park...
. - Autumn 2006: Saint Edward Seminary nominated to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- 2007 With elevated public attention drawn by Citizens for Saint Edward Park(C4SEP), the State Legislature allocated $500k toward evaluation of the building's condition from the aggregate effects of years of underfunded and deferred maintenance, and $500k for immediate and sorely needed repairs.
- April 2007: Saint Edward Seminary is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - 2007-2008: Bassetti ArchitectsBassetti ArchitectsBassetti Architects is an architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington with a second office in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1947, the firm has designed several well-known Seattle landmarks and many schools in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, including several buildings at the Pike Place...
selected to evaluate and report on the Seminary building conditions. - April 2008 Ranger/Park Manager Mohammad Mostafavinassab reported that an additional $1.7mm is being funded for Phase 1 (repair/replace foundation and field drainage, and repair foundation), and to begin Phase 2 (Exterior repairs).
- May 2009: A video tour of the Seminary building becomes available, courtesy of the Seattle Times, with an accompanying writeup.
- December 2009: Carole Ann Wald Memorial Pool is mothballed.
Nomenclature
The proper name is "Saint Edward Seminary"; however, it is frequently referred to as "Saint Edward's" perhaps for ease of pronunciation.Notable alumni
- His Grace Most. Rev. Raymond HunthausenRaymond HunthausenRaymond Gerhardt Hunthausen is a retired American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Helena from 1962 to 1975 and as Archbishop of Seattle from 1975 to 1991.-Early life and education:...
- Mike Murphy (Washington politician)Mike Murphy (Washington politician)Michael J. "Mike" Murphy, an American politician, served as the State Treasurer of Washington from 1996-2008. He is a Democrat.-Early career:Murphy is a native of Seattle. He attended St...