Loretto Academy

Loretto Academy is a brick schoolhouse in Woodlawn built with traditional classroom wings and a substantial main entrance. The structure occupies a prominent corner where East 65th Street meets Blackstone Avenue.

The school was founded in 1906 by the Loreto Sisters and operated as a Catholic girls school for decades. It closed in 1972 after serving the educational needs of generations in the neighborhood.

The school opened its doors to African-American students in 1949, becoming a gathering place for the expanding community in Woodlawn. This decision reflected and supported the neighborhood's changing composition during that period.

The building sits at the corner of East 65th Street and Blackstone Avenue in the Woodlawn neighborhood. Keep in mind this is private property not open to the public, and the exterior shows age and wear.

After closing as a school, the building was converted into a substance abuse treatment center, showing its continued service to the community. In 2019, Preservation Chicago added it to their endangered structures list due to deteriorating conditions.

Location: Chicago

Inception: August 1906

GPS coordinates: 41.77678,-87.58939

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:04