Brooklyn Campus History

Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn Campus

The land for St. John's first campus was purchased by Rev. Stephen V. Ryan, C.M. on November 14, 1867 from Thomas and Sarah Palmer, and Sarah and Isaac Quackenboss for $35,800. The purchase consisted of approximately sixty lots, an entire city block, between the proposed Willoughby Avenue, Hart Street, Lewis Avenue, and Stuyvesant Street. Rev. Stephen V. Ryan, C.M., who would soon become the second Bishop of Buffalo, New York, later willed the property to St. John's College.

two maps of the former farmland of the Lewis Avenue campus in Brooklyn — This map sketched in the Abstract of Title for the property (left) and additional map of Brooklyn from 1869 (right) shows the parts of the former Delmonico (white), Meserole (pink), and Meeker (green) farms that comprised the home of the new college.

The groundbreaking for the new Catholic college, then to be called, "Mary, Queen of the Isles," took place on May 28, 1868. An article published the following day in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle described in great detail the interest and anticipation of approximately 5,000 spectators that attended, as well as the content of the speeches given by Governor Lowe of Maryland, and Father Ryan.

A ticket for the "Excursion to the Grounds of the New Catholic College" as seen in The Radiant Light, page 15.

Metal spade with silver plaques on the handle and body, each inscribed with details of groundbreaking ceremonies — This spade, preserved in the University Archives, was used by the Rt. Rev. John Loughlin, D.D., Bishop of Brooklyn, and the Hon. Martin Kalbfleisch, Mayor of Brooklyn, to break ground for the construction of the college. It was later used for the groundbreakings of buildings on the Queens campus.

The cornerstone of the college was laid on July 25, 1869. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle again reported on the festivities of the ceremonies, now referred to as the "College of St. John the Baptist." The building opened for the first time on the evening of September 4 for a lecture by Orestes A. Brownson on Papal Infallibility. The next day, September 5, was the first day of classes. "Forty seven students were admitted on Monday September 5 and the time was principally devoted to examining and distributing them to their respective classes." (The Diary, page 8) The contract for the construction of the second section (administration section) of the college building was signed by architect Patrick Keeley on August 2, 1872. It was completed in the Fall of 1873, when the priests were able to occupy the building.

A black and white sketch of the Lewis Avenue campus — This panoramic sketch depicts St. John’s College (almost) as it was in the mid-1920s. Foreground left: These wood frame houses were actually situated on the future Moore Memorial site on Lewis Avenue, next to the Parochial School building. The St. John’s Conservatory of Music was located in one of these houses. Foreground right: St. John's Parochial School (1904); Moore Memorial Building (St. John's Prep, 1927) not pictured. Background, left to right: Athletic Field (running track added in 1910); Church of St. John the Baptist (stone church completed 1894); College Hall addition (1908), later DeGray Gymnasium (1932); College Hall (1870); Administration building (1873); and the Seminary wing (1891).

College Hall Lewis Ave — College Hall, located at the corner of Lewis Avenue and Willoughby Avenue, opened for classes in 1870. This photograph shows College Hall c.1940.

College Hall and Administration Building on Lewis Ave in the snow — The Administration building, situated in the middle of Lewis Ave, was added in 1873.

Seminary wing attached to St. John's College Hall — A view of the College in 1912. The Seminary wing (notice the rounded corner of the building) was added in 1891 at the corner of Lewis Ave and Hart Street, next to the Administration building (center, with portico) and St. John's College Hall (far left, square building).

In 1908, a new wing was added to College Hall (the closest section to the Church) which included science classrooms, a gym, and a swimming pool. That section was later torn down and replaced with the DeGray Gymnasium in 1932.

Lewis Avenue Science Classroom 1908 — Science Laboratory

The open field in front of the Church was the site of numerous athletic events. The field was renovated in 1910 to include a running track.

The stone structure of the Church of St. John the Baptist was completed in 1894. Before that was a smaller wood frame church which the parish outgrew. Prior to that was the old farmhouse where the first Mass was held.

Church of St. John the Baptist, Brooklyn (exterior)

Perboyre Chapel, St. John the Baptist Church, c.1908 — Perboyre Chapel, located in the northwest transept of St. John the Baptist Church, was the site of many Masses and religious events attended by students and faculty.

The Parochial School was built for the elementary students in 1904. The Moore Memorial building opened for the high school students (St. John's Prep) in 1927.

The wood frame houses seen in the foreground of the panoramic sketch were actually situated on the future Moore Memorial site on Lewis Avenue, next to the Parochial School building. The St. John’s Conservatory of Music was located in one of these houses.

Prep Track Team Lewis Avenue Wood Frame House in 1912 — The 1912 St. John's Prep Track Team poses on the steps of the wood frame house on Lewis Avenue.

Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Campus

When the School of Law was founded in 1925, classes were held in rented quarters on Court Street in downtown Brooklyn. In 1927, two additional professional colleges were founded: the Borough Hall Division of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Accounting, Commerce and Finance. These colleges also rented space on Court Street and Joralemon Street. In 1928, St. John’s acquired property on the corner of Schermerhorn Street and Boreum Place. After just 13 months of construction, the new million-dollar “skyscraper” campus opened with a formal dedication ceremony on November 23, 1929. The building also became home to the new College of Pharmacy upon its founding in 1929.

Dedication of Borough Hall Unit St. John's College Saturday November 23, 1929 Schermerhorn Street and Boreum Place, Brooklyn NY

The Schermerhorn Street campus under construction in 1928 (left) and in 1968 with the Quonset huts behind the building.

Schermerhorn Street entrance foyer — Schermerhorn Street Foyer, 1930

Schermerhorn Street Chemistry Laboratory, 1930

Even this large building was soon outgrown. In June 1946, the university began negotiations with the Federal Works Administration to acquire several Quonset huts, surplus from World War II, to relieve crowding at the campus. Three double-sized Quonset huts opened directly behind 96 Schermerhorn Street for the start of the Spring 1948 semester, and included space for classrooms, a student lounge, lockers, and restrooms.

A birds-eye view of the Quonset huts, 1965.

In 1950, despite the extra space from the Quonset huts, more space was needed, so the building at 72 Schermerhorn Street was purchased. Sometimes called “The Annex,” this space housed a new library in 1951 and the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul in 1952.

A view of 72 Schermerhorn Street in 1969.

Students attending Noon Mass at the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul, 72 Schermerhorn Street, — Students attending Noon Mass at the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul, 72 Schermerhorn Street.

Eventually, the various academic programs were transferred to the Queens campus, and later the new Staten Island campus in 1971. The building finally closed when the School of Law opened in Queens for the start of the Fall 1972 semester.