St. Joseph's Orphanage
Also known as: Mt. St. Joseph's School
Why it's listed
Built in 1892, this four-story brick and granite building at 56 St. Joseph's Street in Fall River began as St. Joseph's Orphanage. It is a Second Empire design by local architect Louis G. Destremps, with a granite basement, marble sills, a high convex mansard roof, a copper cupola and a dentilled cornice. Wings were added in 1917 and 1923, and the main entrance was altered in 1930. The orphanage was founded in 1890 by Msgr. Jean-Alfred Prevost of Notre Dame Church to care for French orphans from the Flint neighborhood. The Sisters of Charity ran it, raising money door to door. Around 1915 it housed about 400 children, and over the years more than 20,000 children lived there, at times as many as 500. Since the orphanage closed in the mid-1960s it has served as Mt. St. Joseph's School. It was listed for its architecture and its role as a social institution tied to the Notre Dame parish.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a distinctive, carefully crafted and well-preserved example of Second Empire architecture. It also stands as an important Fall River social institution that housed over 20,000 children. It is a major element of the French-Canadian Notre Dame parish complex.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000721, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 56 St. Joseph's St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000721 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Louis G. Destremps |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as Mt. St. Joseph's School, operated by the Sisters of Charity; the orphanage function ended around 1964. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.69169, -71.13285 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000721.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589205
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.