Saint Joseph’s College fits perfectly on the shore of Sebago Lake. Guided by a mission and core values that are rooted in spirituality and stewardship of the environment, the College is surrounded by 430 acres of opportunity to embrace those ideals and more. But before the College was known as a learning destination on Sebago Lake, it was noted as being the first college in Portland, Maine.
That declaration comes from an April 29, 1917, article from the Portland Sunday Telegram (now Maine Sunday Telegram), a day before Saint Joseph’s College’s Saint Catherine’s Hall was dedicated in a ceremony led by Bishop Louis Sebastian Walsh—on Walton Street in Portland.
From its founding in 1912 until its move to Standish in 1956, Saint Joseph’s College was stationed between Forest and Stevens avenues in Portland’s Deering neighborhood, on the grounds of the Sisters of Mercy’s Motherhouse.
The Motherhouse still stands, and Saint Catherine’s Hall still houses some Sisters of Mercy, although the College has since established roots in its present home in Standish.
