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Gale College

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Coordinates:44°4′43″N91°22′2″W/ 44.07861°N 91.36722°W/44.07861; -91.36722
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Gale College Historic District
Old Main Hall in 2023
Gale College is located in Wisconsin
Gale College
Gale College is located in the United States
Gale College
LocationTwelfth Street,Galesville, Wisconsin
Coordinates44°4′43″N91°22′2″W/ 44.07861°N 91.36722°W/44.07861; -91.36722
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Architectural styleItalianate
MPSGalesville MRA
NRHP referenceNo.84004020[1]
Added to NRHPFebruary 14, 1997

Gale College(alsoGalesville UniversityandMarynook) was a private college inGalesville, Wisconsin.It was founded byGeorge Gale,opening in 1854 and closing in 1939. Several religious denominations used the facilities as a college and later as a training school.

History[edit]

Judge George Gale went to college at theUniversity of Vermontand moved to the western frontier inLa 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 theAmerican Civil War.[4]

In 1865, theMethodist Episcopal Churchtook over the school and held classes until 1871.[4]ThePresbyterianstook over until 1901 and changed the name to Gale College in the 1890s.[3][4]TheSynod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americapurchased 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]

TheSociety of Mary, Province of St. Louispurchased 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 Catholicorderused the buildings to train novitiatebrothersandpriests.[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[edit]

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 developTrempealeau County.[11]

Historic Place[edit]

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

Current use[edit]

Kindergarten
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 akindergarten.

Notable alumni[edit]

Gallery[edit]

Gale College aerial photo
Gale College sign

References[edit]

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

Further reading[edit]

  • A brief history of Galesville University, Gale College and Marynookby Lucinda Oakland Morken.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toGale College.
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