“Stories from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Historic District” gave the Terre Haute community only a glimpse of the deep history held in the gates in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. A variety of items, on display on the second floor of the Swope Art Museum in downtown Terre Haute, offered relics from the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and the Sisters of Providence.
The opening reception for the exhibit was held Friday, Aug. 6, with remarks from Dottie L. King, Ph.D., president of SMWC, and Paula Damiano, SP, ’72 from the Sisters of Providence. With more than 30 in attendance, many were seeing some preserved items for the first time.
For Alexandra Baver, a triple art major at The Woods, seeing the history was eye-opening. As an incoming junior, she gained a better understanding of the College she calls home for four years — and she hopes more students do the same.
“I really encourage all the students at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College to get involved and learn the history, especially with the Sisters. They are so great, and they have so much information in their archives,” Baver said.
She got involved with the project through Edward Trover, who helped SMWC get the exhibit installed. He also taught at The Woods. When Baver was seeking an internship, Trover said this exhibit would be the perfect project.
While helping install the pieces, she also had smaller projects including making the photo books. This involved scanning old photos and assembling them to tell the stories of the buildings. She also worked on getting the marble from the Church and researching its origin.
“My favorite part was going through all the old stuff,” Baver said. She enjoyed going into the archives to hear history from the Sisters.
The exhibit showcases architectural drawings — including Bohlen and Sons designs — photographs and original architectural elements from the historic district. Bohlen and Sons designed around 60 projects on campus, including the Conservatory of Music, the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the now-demolished Foley Hall. Campus is the largest collection of cohesive Bohlen buildings, and many of the buildings they designed are still standing throughout the state.
“When you see these exhibits, you see how inextricably intertwined Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is with the Sisters of Providence,” King said, with many of the architectural drawings as her backdrop at the Swope. “What you see is a legacy we have inherited. I am spurred along knowing we need to continue to move the College forward in a way that will forever embody that legacy and forever tell the story of Saint Mother Theodore.”
Some of the history featured dates to Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s days, including a lid to the vault where she was buried. This is located in a crypt underneath the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Other pieces focus on more recent history, like the Avenue street sign that greeted generations of students as they entered campus.
The exhibit runs through Oct. 4. Admission is free.
The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Historic District was formed in 2017. The Historic District Committee is comprised of members of the SMWC and Sisters of Providence communities.
The project was made possible through a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau.