St. Vincent Orphanage & Infirmary
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
St. Vincent Orphanage and Infirmary. Site of St. Vincent Orphanage and Infirmary from 1836-1891. It was begun by Catherine Spalding to care for sick & abandoned children. The infirmary was moved to 4th St. in 1853 & named St. Joseph. In 1926, patients were moved to the new St. Joseph Hospital on Eastern Pkwy. The orphanage later became Saints Thomas and Vincent; closed in 1983. (Reverse) Catherine Spalding- Co-founder of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Ky., she wrote that the orphanage was “the only place on earth to which my heart clings.” Catherine loved and nurtured hundreds of children, and it was said that every orphan in Louisville claimed her as their mother. She died here on March 20, 1858, after contracting pneumonia.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
From 1836 to 1891 this site held St. Vincent Orphanage and Infirmary, begun by Catherine Spalding to shelter sick and abandoned children. Co-founder of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Spalding poured her life into the work, once writing that the orphanage was "the only place on earth to which my heart clings." It was said that every orphan in Louisville claimed her as their mother; she died here in 1858 after contracting pneumonia.
Why it matters
The mission traces the roots of Catholic charitable care in Kentucky and honors a woman who built institutions to protect the most vulnerable in a growing American city.
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Related people
- · Catherine Spalding
Themes & tags
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