
Name
Alma College

Database Info

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Viewability

Publically Viewable
This location has been labeled as Demolished, and therefore can be viewed by anyone.

Overview


Description
Big old school, kinda crumbly, very gothic and creepy.

Basic Information
Type: Building
Status: Demolished
Accessibility:
Recommendation: forget it
Status: Demolished
Accessibility:
Recommendation: forget it

Hazards
- rust
- unsafe flooring
- flooding
- water

Security Measures
- fences
- locked gates
- wooden boarding
- watched closely by the police and the property owner

Required Equipment

Physical Information

Interesting Features

Historical Dates
Built: 1878
Closed: 1988
Closed: 1988

Recommended Equipment

History
In 1803 Colonel Thomas Talbot received a large grant from the Crown in what is now Elgin County but during the war of 1812 many settlements that were formed in this area were burned and ravaged by American armies. In 1844, the village had grown to 1,000 people including many businessmen and professionals and in 1852, Elgin County was separated and St. Thomas was incorporated as a village. The village began to grow and in 1861 St. Thomas was finally incorporated as a town.
By the mid 1870's, St. Thomas was an enterprising and industrious town set in a prosperous county. Eight railways passed through with their long lines of freight and passenger cars. A small group of able physicians had set up the first medical centre in the province that became eventually the nucleus of the Medical School of the University of Toronto. Farmers brought their fruit and vegetables and dairy products to St. Thomas markets and flour mill and creamery. There was a bustling retail trade. Eight churches kept their fingers on the spiritual pulse. St. Thomas was a young ambitious town aspiring to become a city. A ladies college for the country of Elgin would most certainly add to its presitge, and put St. Thomas firmly on the map.
On October 11, 1876, it was proposed by Bishop Carman that a ladies college be established in the prospering town of St. Thomas. In 1877, the planners called the new school, "St. Thomas Ladies College" until it was formally named "Alma College" by Sheriff Colin Munroe who wanted to name it to honour the passing of his late wife Alma Munroe and also their daughter, Mrs. J.D. (Alma) Munroe Duffield.
The College colours were also chosen at the same time and represented the three brances of the school's curriculum: Literature was blue, Art was gold, and Music was crimson.
In April of 1877, the newly formed College Board put out a call for the design of the school and received 20 submitted plans from architects. It was a man named James Balfour from our very own Hamilton that won the competition. The contract for the actual construction went to Henry Lindop of St. Thomas and with all the requirements, was estimated at a total cost of about $50,000.
May 24th, 1878 marked the day that the cornerstone of Alma College was laid and it took only three years after this for the architect's plan to take form into an imposing building. Two months following this, in October of 1881, the brand new Alma Ladies College officially opened. The grounds featured a main building, a chapel, a hall, and a unique outdoor amphitheatre. The Victorian Gothic exterior of the front facade and the two flanking side facades make this structure unique in the City of St. Thomas.
On May 28th, 2008 Alma College burned down, with the remaining ruins demolished a couple days later after an emergency permit was obtained due to the fact that the ruins were 'unsafe'.
By the mid 1870's, St. Thomas was an enterprising and industrious town set in a prosperous county. Eight railways passed through with their long lines of freight and passenger cars. A small group of able physicians had set up the first medical centre in the province that became eventually the nucleus of the Medical School of the University of Toronto. Farmers brought their fruit and vegetables and dairy products to St. Thomas markets and flour mill and creamery. There was a bustling retail trade. Eight churches kept their fingers on the spiritual pulse. St. Thomas was a young ambitious town aspiring to become a city. A ladies college for the country of Elgin would most certainly add to its presitge, and put St. Thomas firmly on the map.
On October 11, 1876, it was proposed by Bishop Carman that a ladies college be established in the prospering town of St. Thomas. In 1877, the planners called the new school, "St. Thomas Ladies College" until it was formally named "Alma College" by Sheriff Colin Munroe who wanted to name it to honour the passing of his late wife Alma Munroe and also their daughter, Mrs. J.D. (Alma) Munroe Duffield.
The College colours were also chosen at the same time and represented the three brances of the school's curriculum: Literature was blue, Art was gold, and Music was crimson.
In April of 1877, the newly formed College Board put out a call for the design of the school and received 20 submitted plans from architects. It was a man named James Balfour from our very own Hamilton that won the competition. The contract for the actual construction went to Henry Lindop of St. Thomas and with all the requirements, was estimated at a total cost of about $50,000.
May 24th, 1878 marked the day that the cornerstone of Alma College was laid and it took only three years after this for the architect's plan to take form into an imposing building. Two months following this, in October of 1881, the brand new Alma Ladies College officially opened. The grounds featured a main building, a chapel, a hall, and a unique outdoor amphitheatre. The Victorian Gothic exterior of the front facade and the two flanking side facades make this structure unique in the City of St. Thomas.
On May 28th, 2008 Alma College burned down, with the remaining ruins demolished a couple days later after an emergency permit was obtained due to the fact that the ruins were 'unsafe'.

Media Coverage

Future Plans
The owner of the site is turning it into a retirement facility, not sure what will remain.
Investigation into the fire is on going.
Investigation into the fire is on going.

Stories
Thu, May 29th, 2008
Fri, Jun 8th, 2007
Sun, Oct 1st, 2006

Web Links
UEL Exploration writeup & gallery:
http://uel.minimanga.com/alma/index.html
NTROPY.US feature on Alma College
http://www.ntropy.us/2008/06/28/alma/
http://uel.minimanga.com/alma/index.html
NTROPY.US feature on Alma College
http://www.ntropy.us/2008/06/28/alma/

Contribute

Moderator Rating
The moderator rating is a neutral rating of the content quality, photography, and coolness of this location.
Category | Rating |
Photography | 8 / 10 |
Coolness | 9 / 10 |
Content Quality | 8 / 10 |

Validation

This location's validation is current.
It was last validated by
Emperor Wang on 4/13/2024 1:51 AM.

Latest Changes
- on Apr 13 24 at 1:51, Emperor Wang validated this location
- on Apr 13 24 at 1:51, Emperor Wang changed the following: History
- on Apr 13 24 at 1:47, Emperor Wang changed the following: History, Security Measures, Media Coverage, Web Links
- on Oct 10 10 at 15:35, Opheliaism validated this location
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:56, phrenzee updated gallery picture
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:56, phrenzee updated gallery picture
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:56, phrenzee updated gallery picture 0
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:56, phrenzee updated gallery picture
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:56, phrenzee updated gallery picture
- on Oct 9 10 at 13:54, phrenzee added some pictures to a gallery

Forum Threads about this Location
Subject | Started By | Replies | Views | Last Post | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Alma on film... | simmorill | 1 | 930 | 9/27/2010 7:59 PM by phrenzee |
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Current status? | yokes | 2 | 1121 | 11/22/2006 8:46 PM by levacas |
![]() |
location | freaksite | 1 | 978 | 3/30/2005 8:40 PM by Toogy |
![]() |
Construction Guys Everywhere!!! | Big In Japan | 0 | 931 | 8/4/2004 11:19 PM by Big In Japan |
![]() |
Worth the drive to st. Thomas? | dragonoptic | 6 | 1299 | 10/15/2004 5:29 PM by hemy |

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