A great photo-post card of the original Victorian homes of the St. Walburga Convent and School from the first half of the turn of the 20th century at 139th Street and (630) Riverside Drive, in Harlem, pre-1904.
The dirt road in the front of the two homes is 139th Street, between Riverside Drive and Broadway. Peeking from behind St. Walburga Convent on the left is the future, apartment buildings.
At the bottom of the image it reads:
St. Walburga Convent and School, Pub. by E. Rose 28 W. 139th St, N. Y.
The St. Walburga Convent and School provided beds, food and educational opportunities for orphans that was administered by nuns in West Harlem.
We’re not sure of the date of the above photograph, but we know it’s the new St. Walburga Convent and School, that replaced the original Victorian homes. Since there are no buildings adjacent St. Walburga and in the distance we think the photograph was taken between 1904 and 1913 based on the photograph below.
In this later view of St. Walburga Convent and School, taken during a fall season in 1913, we can see there are buildings to the left and in the distance looking north along Riverside Drive.
The words below the photograph read:
Academy of the Holy Child, New York City, 3062.
At the bottom the year “1913” is written in pencil. Our research showed that the Academy of the Holy Child was located at 430 Riverside, right next door the Convent and School. We think they co-occupied the building with the Academy using the left side entrance on Riverside Drive.
The Convent And School moved to Rye, NY, during or after 1957 and became School of the Holy Child, Rye, NY and became School of the Holy Child, Rye.
Photo of original convent and school (source).
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