History – Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools

Since our schools’ founding nearly 150 years ago, our mission hasn’t changed: We exist to assist parents in fully forming children’s hearts, minds and souls to bring glory to God. By remaining true to this purpose, we honor our founders who sacrificed greatly to bring the gift of Catholic education to what was then the frontier town of Traverse City.

History

The first St. Francis Church building (first Mass in 1870) had a fence around it to keep livestock out! Those were frontier days for our community.

A missionary priest and religious sisters established Catholic education in Traverse City in 1877.

Father George Ziegler requested Bavarian-born Sisters of Saint Dominic from New York
A Dominican Sister had a deathbed vision of a “peninsula in the west dotted with white”
Responding to the vision and request, the Sisters arrived by steamer on October 23 and started school six days later with six pupils; enrollment grew to 50 by the end of the school year.
Father Ziegler used his personal financial resources to purchase a house on Union Street where the Sisters lived and held school

Non-Catholic city father and visionary Perry Hannah donated land on 10^th Street to the Catholic Church; construction of Holy Angels Academy began in 1883.

The building remained a school until 1893 and a convent until 1972. It was known as the Cradle – the original home of the Marywood Dominican Sisters.

In 1889, the original St. Francis Church building was made into an elementary school.

In 1893, a new school (South Side Catholic School) was built, with a red brick gym added in 1913.

In 1902-06, Immaculate Conception parish opened to accommodate the growing number of Catholic families on the west side. Mass was offered upstairs, and school took place on the main floor. Classes were taught by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, coming to Traverse City from Big Rapids.

In 1913, a brick annex was added to Holy Angels, and it became the St. Francis convent.

In 1925, fire destroyed the north half of St. Francis School at Cass/11^th Street – the sixth time!

In 1953, a new church was built at Immaculate Conception.

In 1954/1965, St. Francis built a new elementary school and gym.

In 1961, a substantial addition was made to Immaculate Conception School (8 grades). High Schoolers went to St. Francis on paid tuition.

In 1965-6, St. Francis built a new high school.

In 1969, the Bishop of Grand Rapids ordered the Immaculate Conception and St. Francis schools be consolidated which was a difficulty for the parishioners at Immaculate Conception who had previously been debt-free. The Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools Board of Education was established.

In 1970, the Board of Education announced the closure of grades 7-12 due to passage of Proposal C. Through a collaborative arrangement with the public schools, the school remained open – a creative solution that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court!

In 1972, the Holy Angels Convent was demolished.

In 1983, the School was faced with a budget shortfall. A group of volunteers created Gladhander, an auction and gala. Today, Gladhander is credited with contributing more than $14 million in support of our school.

In 1984, St. Patrick and Christ the King parishes were established.

In 1993, the convent house was demolished.

In 1998, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Middle School opened. Immaculate Conception Middle School became Immaculate Conception Elementary (grades 3-5). St. Francis School (early elementary) was renamed Holy Angels Elementary School.

In 2003, a multi-sport, multi-grade athletic complex was completed at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

In 2018, the old Immaculate Conception School was demolished. A 1961 time capsule was unearthed.

In 2019, the new Immaculate Conception Elementary School was opened for grades Preschool-5^th.

In 2023, due to expanding enrollment, Preschool 3s and 4s were relocated to the St. Francis Campus and operated under the name, St. Francis Preschool.