History - Moving to Girard Ave.

In 1876, the land that is now St. Joe’s Prep was open country that was near the Centennial Exposition in Fairmount Park. The Centennial's purpose was to celebrate the country’s 100th year of independence. For the Centennial Exposition, the old wooden bridge at Girard Avenue was replaced with a new steel one, which subsequently led to the development of the Girard Area. Around this time, the Jesuits of the Maryland Province were making plans for another parish in a part of the city more conducive to operating a college. The Girard Area seemed like a natural place because it was a blossoming suburb with Girard Gollege, Eastern State Prison, a hospital, and a reservoir. Fr. Barbelin found an undeveloped block measuring 395 feet by 259 feet between 18th and 17th Streets and bounded on north and south by Thompson and Stiles Streets. Because of its high water table no one else had built there. While the owner wanted an inflated price of $60,000 he eventually settled for $45,000, and the transaction was completed on November 20, 1866.