St. Ignatius is a rare example of a Chicago building predating the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. Since its founding in 1869 by Arnold Damen, S.J., the five-story brick edifice with its carved wooden doors and lion heads has welcomed generations of young men and, since 1979, young women. Among the unique spaces is the 1887-88 Brunswick Room featuring elaborate cabinets and woodwork installed by the Brunswick Company for the school’s natural history museum, the Foglia Library, the “Chicago gallery” of architectural artifacts in the Driehaus building and Father Damen’s office. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, St. Ignatius College Prep was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1987.
Visitor Experience
Visitors are invited to tour the ground floor of the main 1869 building, the fourth-floor Grand Gallery and Brunswick Room and the Foglia Library.
