Gale College

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Gale College Historic District
Gale College Statue.jpg
Old Main Hall in 2023
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LocationTwelfth Street, Galesville, Wisconsin
Coordinates 44°4′43″N91°22′2″W / 44.07861°N 91.36722°W / 44.07861; -91.36722
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Architectural styleItalianate
MPS Galesville MRA
NRHP reference No. 84004020 [1]
Added to NRHPFebruary 14, 1997

Gale College (also Galesville University and Marynook) was a private college in Galesville, Wisconsin. It was founded by George Gale, opening in 1854 and closing in 1939. Several religious denominations used the facilities as a college and later as a training school.

Contents

History

Judge George Gale went to college at the University of Vermont and moved to the western frontier in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the early 1850s. [2] After finding little interest in starting a college in La Crosse, he bought 2,000 acres (810 ha) to start Galesville at a choice spot for his planned university. [2] The state of Wisconsin chartered the school in 1854 as Galesville University and Gale held the first classes in the county courthouse in Galesville. [2] The first class had 16 students including Gale's son, George Gale Jr. [2] Old Main was completed in 1862 and the campus was occupied in 1863. [3] Gale ran the nonsectarian college until 1865 and the school floundered when his health deteriorated during his involvement in the American Civil War. [4]

In 1865, the Methodist Episcopal Church took over the school and held classes until 1871. [4] The Presbyterians took over until 1901 and changed the name to Gale College in the 1890s. [3] [4] The Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America purchased the college in 1901. [4] In 1915, they built a new dormitory and gymnasium. [5] They constructed a new heating plant in 1921. [6] The Lutherans suspended the school for the 1938-39 school year because of too small enrollment and closed it permanently in June 1939. [7] [8]

The Society of Mary, Province of St. Louis purchased the buildings and 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land in 1941 for $10,000. [9] Its buildings included two dormitories, the main building, and a heating plant. [9] The Catholic order used the buildings to train novitiate brothers and priests. [9] They named the school Marynook and operated the novitiate until it became a retreat in 1973. [10] The retreat operated until June 1994, at which time the city of Galesville purchased it for $150,000. [3] The city granted a 50-year lease in 2000 to the Garden of Eden Preservation Society. [3]

Founder's Day

Throughout the school's varied history, it held a "Founders Day" celebration on June 4. [2] A wreath was usually placed at Gale's tomb and the grounds were typically open to the public. [11] The day celebrated Gale's founding of the school, his platting of Galesville, and his work to develop Trempealeau County. [11]

Historic Place

Several buildings on the campus were listed as a historic district with the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1997. [1]

Current use

Kindergarten Gale College Kindergarten 2010.jpg
Kindergarten
Red brick building 2016RedBrickGaleCollege.jpg
Red brick building

The Old Main building is being restored by the Old Main Historical & Community Arts Center. The group rents out the building for events and holds fundraisers. [12] Volunteers are compiling the history of the area, building a digital database, and collecting local genealogy information. [12] Another building is being used as a kindergarten.

Notable alumni

Gale College aerial photo Gale College aerial photo.jpg
Gale College aerial photo
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Gale College sign

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gale College Founder's Day To Be Celebrated On Sunday". LaCrosse Tribune and Leader Press. April 26, 1935. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Chronology of Old Main - Galesville, WI". Old Main Historical and Community Arts Center. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Gale College Founder's Day To Be Celebrated On Sunday". LaCrosse Tribune and Leader Press. April 26, 1935. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Great Crowd Expected at Dedication Festival for Gale's College". Milwaukee Journal . September 26, 1915. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Gales College to Open Sixty-third Year". The Blair Press. August 18, 1921. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Galesville College Will Not Operate in '38 - '39". Telegraph-Herald. August 25, 1938. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Wisconsin College Decides to Close". Telegraph-Herald. June 15, 1939. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 "Historic Gale College to be Catholic Training School". Milwaukee Sentinel . April 25, 1941. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Founders Day Observed". Blair Press. June 16, 1977. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Founders Day Program". The Blair Press. June 1, 1944. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Old-fashioned fun planned this weekend in Galesville". Winona Daily News . Retrieved May 1, 2012.

Further reading

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