Our History

Mother Scholastica Kerst (r.) and companion enjoying the daisies

Minnesota, in 1881. After a decade of struggling to establish itself in a rapidly growing city, the Duluth Community of Benedictine Sisters became an independent foundation in 1892.

Although the Sisters purchased several buildings at different sites in the city to carry on their ministries of elementary education and health care, it wasn’t until 1909 that they constructed the first of a group of buildings that would become their permanent home.

Under the leadership of Mother Scholastica Kerst, the Sisters went in search of land on a high hill because Benedictines traditionally build in places of great height. They bought 160 acres of land, known as “the daisy farm,” overlooking Lake Superior. It has been home to the Duluth Benedictines to the present day.

The chapel was named "Our Lady Queen of Peace" in hope that the war raging in Europe would soon end. This photo was taken in 1946.

In 1909 the first part of Tower Hall was completed, and the girls’ high school, Villa Sancta Scholastica Academy, was established.

By 1912 Villa Sancta Scholastica Academy shared Tower Hall with a newly-opened junior college, and in 1928 the second tower and remainder of Tower Hall were completed to house the growing college.

The Duluth Benedictines continued to expand their ministry of education as the college and high school flourished. Mother Agnes Somers led the Benedictine Community in building a chapel/library complex connected on the north to Tower Hall and on the south to the new high school building, Stanbrook Hall, by enclosed cloister walks. All were completed in 1938, just as World War II broke out in Europe.

Vocations to religious life at the Monastery flourished during the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

The Monastery occupied parts of Tower Hall until 1991.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel and the bell tower. The bell was moved from Tower Hall in 1938.