Welcome to the Providence Academy!

Welcome to BrickMoJo.net! Thanks for visiting our website. First, please know that the typical content of this website is designed primarily for non-Catholics and contains "salty language". We promise everything on this page is rated PG and should be suitable to most audiences, but that is NOT the case with the rest of this website or its content! Please use caution if you are sensitive to language and choose to explore the remainder of this website. The Mother Joseph Page and the Blessed Emilie Gamelin Page of this website are also completely PG content for you to explore - look for the Black & White icon in the top right to confirm Family Friendly Pages!
That being said, it has never been our intention to "rock the boat" when it comes to Mother Joseph and the Sisters of Providence, but rather attempt to communicate their awesomeness to a wider non-Catholic audience. SJ (also known as Sara) came to know Mother Joseph from their interest in history and architecture. Somehow our research and work caught the attention of some people at Providence who have now become friends of Two Witches Podcast. This page was created in response a request from our friends at Providence to adapt our content for a more general audience, and it was a honor to do so. We are two ex-Catholics that have a huge respect and admiration for Blessed Emilie Gamelin and Mother Joseph.
Watching "Les Discretes" (a documentary about the Sisters of Providence from Montreal) made it clear to both Andrea and SJ that Mother Joseph and Emilie Gamelin were open minded enough to interact with people that consider themselves "Two Witches," and we hope that since you're a fan of theirs you won't let that bother you either. Additionally, you may hear us call Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart "MoJo" - this nickname is said only out of love and affection for whom SJ considers their Spiritual Mother.

A Virtual Tour of the Providence Academy

Welcome to Mother Joseph's house, the Providence Academy in Vancouver, Washington. We hope we can adequately communicate how special this place is and why it deserves to be cherished and protected for generations of future visitors to enjoy.
Front path of the Academy, site of the Sacred Heart fountain that Mother Joseph made. Historic view, 1920s and 1961.
The Avant Corps, decorated for Christmas in December 2020. Historic view, 1920s.
Corbelled brick hoods over the windows, a Georgian architectural technique. Historic view.
Providence Academy site from C and Evergreen, near the old site of the El Presidente Mexican restaurant's footprint. Historic View.
1910 photo postcard of the Academy showing the past Sacred Heart fountain's location. Mother Joseph herself sculpted this fountain, pieces of it are in the Providence Archive.
The Sacred Heart shaped carriage path was designed as a reflection of God's love for the poor through the Sister's charitable acts. 1966.
Front of the Academy from Southwest corner of site. 1892 look at the expansion in progress.
Front of the Academy from Southeast corner of site. Similar historic view circa 1890.
West facing side entrance - this is the addition MoJo hated. Historic view.
Footprint of the demolished El Presidente Restaurant, southwest corner. 1974. Update: Gone, part of Aegis development, May 2021.
The path on the east side of the building to the old shrine at the Sacred Heart Garden. Beauties.
Former site of the Sacred Heart Shrine and Garden. Historic View.
The east side door of the Academy is near what we call the Brick Management picnic table meeting spot.
East side door of the Academy, facing west towards C Street. Historic view.
Rear of Academy, looking towards location of St. Joseph Hospital cornerstone. Historic view and one more.
Cornerstone from the third St. Joseph's Hospital that was across 13th Street.
Rear of main building, from northwest corner. Similar historic view.
Basalt foundation details outside the basement access. Same area.
The first relocated Convent/St. Joseph's Hospital at the Academy (demolished).
The third St. Joseph's Hospital, built from Hidden bricks, shown circa 1916. Demolished 1967.
Parking lot of the haunted Black Angus Steakhouse, site of the third St. Joseph's Hospital.
The front Avant Corps of the Providence Academy. SJ picked up the baton here from Robert Hidden.
SJ's initials near the front door, discovered on their birthday, despite being here dozens of times beforehand and not noticing.
Artwork explaining the Sacred Heart shaped carriage path inside the Avant Corps main entrance.

Welcome To MoJo's House. Her Touches Are Everywhere.

For those of you unfamiliar with our regular content, yes - this building first caught our attention because it is what we would call haunted. What we call "haunted" and why we are interested this aspect of the building may be a lot different than what you've seen people do on popular TV shows or in popular media - which is basically yell at dust particles in the dark. The haunting here is one small facet of what makes this amazing place so special to us both. We believe that this space is still active because of its age and importance. The labors of love that Mother Joseph and her Sisters created here are still accessible to the site's visitors. The space is simply still very busy. If you think about what happened in this space, who lived here, and why the building was even erected, you realize that there is nothing scary about what is happening here. We hope that when the video tour is released we can adequately communicate our love and respect for this building, and try to change the idea of what a "haunted" space should be used and celebrated for. This sacred space is a living, breathing history lesson. The Providence Academy and its Foundress Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart should always be treated with respect and the building continually honored for its original purpose. - SJ (Sara) and Andrea, Two Witches.
Andrea noticed sandstone clues to the Masonic influences here under the front door near amazing herringbone patterned ceiling.
Portrait of Mother Joseph painted in the 1970s by artist Vivian Smith who had her Smitty's Studio in the Academy. This studio interests us a lot...
...because near Urban Glow Salon, in a different part of the building, is a second painting by Vivian Smith's studio mate Nadine Swanson.
"Gift of the Seniors 1931-1932" outside the west entrance, part of the original sidewalk. Update: Gone, part of Aegis development, May 2021.
Original white oak bouncing floors in main entrance. Hall leads to the rear of the building, a side door, and the Swanson painting.
The large staircase goes through the entire building all the way up to the bell tower. The antique table is original to the building.

The Academy Chapel With a "Haunted Bell".

When the Sisters of Providence sold the Providence Academy in the 1960s it was facing demolition. Robert Hidden, grandson of L.M. Hidden - who founded the Hidden Brick Company at Mother Joseph's request in 1871, saved the Academy from the wrecking ball with the financial help of two of his sons. Robert's sister even described the building as "Bob's Money Pit" in the local press. Yikes!
Fortunately for us all, in the 1960's Robert began restoring the Providence Academy and turned it into a mixed use office building. Robert and his wife Margaret went to Seattle to bring back the pieces of the Providence Academy's chapel (Mother Joseph's woodwork) that the Sisters and had taken with them. The altar and other pieces inside the chapel are on "permanent loan" from the Sisters as long as the Providence Academy building remains standing in Vancouver.
Hidden brick hero and defender of historic buildings Robert Hidden trying to stop the demolition of the old Vancouver High School. He is holding a court order to try to stop the destruction. Thankfully, he had better luck saving the Providence Academy, but he had to buy it himself to save it.
Brass plaque original to the building.
Third floor chapel entrance, showing the bell's rope running through the building. Historic view.
Original Brass Details on the chapel door.

The Truth About The Chapel's Bell.

Another item brought back to Vancouver includes the original Providence Academy chapel's bell, which weighs over 300 pounds! SJ can tell you, you have to get some momentum going to ring it loud and proud!
Mother Joseph originally sourced this bell from Troy, New York and it was taken to Issaquah, Washington for safekeeping when the Academy closed in 1966. Tragically, the pilots that were flying the bell back to Vancouver in February 1975 perished in a terrible crash when their helicopter hit the side of a mountain near Chehalis, Washington. There is an urban legend that the bell itself is "haunted" from the terrible and bizarre accident, and an additional grisly story linked back to the Academy's belltower has no factual basis. The real story behind the return of the bell to the Providence Academy is the one we should all remember. Every time SJ talks about the bell she always says a little prayer for the two men - Captain Arnold J. Kraushaar of Molalla, Oregon and Sargeant DAC William L. Kinsey of Vancouver - who lost their lives bringing this historic treasure back to its original home.
You can see all the way to the Columbia River from the belltower.
Side altar also carved by MoJo. Historic View.
The restored main chapel altar. Historic View.
Masterful wood carving... everywhere.
Sunlight from the stained glass windows hits the white oak floor in the chapel.
Mother Joseph carved the first few rows of pews herself.
Details, details, details... Mother Joseph never took shortcuts.
Belgian wood and New Orleans metal, chapel altar railing. 1999 view showing white paint.
The location of the Sacred Heart painting Mother Joseph "intercepted" for the Academy Chapel.
The intercepted Sacred Heart painting intended for St. Vincent's Hospital. As it appeared in 1966.
The main altar took Mother Joseph over three years to carve.
The door (Historic view) leading to Mother Joseph's personal quarters, site of her death in 1902.
You are allowed to gently touch the items MoJo herself carved in the chapel on the tour.
We'll have another look at the chapel from the upstairs balcony too - but let's head next door for now to the elevator.
The building's only elevator is in a small area near the Chapel and Mother Joseph's room.
Restroom access near the elevator hallway.
More of the elevator hallway. You can almost feel Mother Joseph bustling through here.

Inside Mother Joseph's Room.

Finally in April 2021, SJ was able to get inside what is now Suite 208 - Mother Joseph's personal quarters. They had ALL the feelings. This is the small room where she died in 1902, surrounded by her Sisters. The hole that was carved out of the wall so she could still attend church services as she suffered in her bed is still visible inside. Until very recently this suite was still in use as a Counseling Office, mainly to help heal traumatized women and families. It seemed appropriate that this was the room people went to for comfort, even if they had no idea the sacred space they were sharing their deepest pain in once was the quarters of a remarkable woman who dedicated her entire life to serving others.

The "Infamous" Haunted Top Floor.

Most of the "ghostly" activity in this building is reported on the third floor. Again, if you think about what this part of the building was used for over time it makes sense that it is still a busy part of the facility. Throughout the centuries this space has been used as nuns' quarters, classrooms, held rows of bunks for boarders, and was the location of the first indoor plumbing. This is also the first part of the building the Sisters were able to move into back in the earliest days, when the building was still without doors and windows. This space has seen a lot of activity over the years.
This seemingly non-descript brown tile is historically important - the last remaining patch of the original floor tile covering in the building. It is located in the stairway on the way to the top floor.
Only Mother Joseph's smart construction and their bodies huddled together for warmth got the Sisters and their charges through that first harsh winter at the Providence Academy. It would make sense this upper part of the building is where flashes of their handsome black and white habits are most frequently seen out of the corner of your eye, or a child's sweet giggle is heard in an empty room. Just like the graffiti in the bell tower says: "Mother Joseph was here before any of you!" We find it comforting, not scary, to think that she still might be here to watch over her building.
Every new view of the Academy's chapel gives a whole new perspective on the perfection of Mother Joseph's design. This one is from the top floor loft.
Upstairs hallway on the way up to the attic, now leased office space.
Standing on the brown original floor in the stairwell.
Original vents and woodwork upon your entry in the main room on the top floor.
Don't worry, this shadow just belongs to one of the living.
This room had once had bunks lining it. Dance classes also happened here. Historic view.
Small rooms with storage space. These look out over the front of the building.
These small rooms at the front were the original nuns' quarters they shared during that first rough winter in 1873.
Antique desk in the Academy's addition, facing the front of the building in the 3rd floor attic. SJ's favorite spot upstairs.
Nuns stored their personal items in lockers - 2 habits (one for the week, and one for Sunday church) & a pair of shoes.
Some of the graffiti from the past students upstairs. Here's a look at some of the dorms in the past.
View east from attic, looking out over the Kindergarten/Gym building.
Mother Joseph designed support beams to go through walls close to the bell. Near the stairs to the bell tower.

Welcome to the Gorgeous Decay of the Top Floor.

The main open room, used for storage. Earlier view in 1999.
Some not-so-Hidden bricks in a closet upstairs.
Back staircase to sacristy was closed. Historic view.
You can see where the later addition that MoJo hated so badly began from certain places upstairs. 1999 view.
One of the many labyrinthian rooms of the Providence Academy attic.
The long hallways can feel confusing and have a fun-house like atmosphere at times. You can't get lost, but feel lost.
One of the old radiators in the bathrooms upstairs. Indoor plumbing added in the 1920s, all at the rear of the building.
Before that plumbing? Chamberpots down those long halls. Historic View.
View of the chapel from the top floor. Note chapel's side altars through the windows.
Chapel view from choir loft.
A close up of the chapel's bell.
A look across the choir loft.
There are more booths that MoJo herself carved upstairs in the choir loft. Historic view.
One of the porthole skylights Mother Joseph built into the ceiling to light her chapel at the Academy.
Several confession booths line the attic. Diocesan rules prevent their public display.
View of bell tower from 3rd floor. 1960's bell tower.
Some of the old bunk springs are still upstairs in the attic.
The St. James Proto-Cathedral is visible from the bathroom windows.

The Ballroom and History Display.

Outside the Ballroom (which is underneath the chapel) there is a handsome window display with artifacts and photos of important local people that were part of early Vancouver's history and linked to the Providence Academy. It is definitely worth checking out when you visit.
A recently returned altar votive from the Academy's chapel on display.
Some of the found items at the Academy site... and a Hidden brick, of course.
Close up of the restored painted pillars in the ballroom.
The restored ballroom, with painted marble pillars. Historic view.
Some of the items unearthed at the Academy site during work.
More historical items linked to the Providence Academy.

The Basement - Mother Joseph's Workshop.

Mother Joseph's workshop was on the other side of the building in the basement, but the space is similar to this (still unable to be opened to the public.) SJ's spouse Dave is exactly 6 feet tall, Mother Joseph's height. It was surprising to see how close to the ceilings her head would have been as she would have been bustling through the area at her fast pace, as she was always known to do. A local "ghost hunting" group spent a lot of time here in the early 2000s and claimed it was among the scariest parts of the building. We have no idea what they are talking about, as this is one of our favorite spots in the building and never have gotten a single bad feeling spending time here - in fact, it's Andrea's favorite part of the entire Providence Academy site.

The Laundry Room, Boiler Room, and Smokestack. Sadly Slated For Demolition.

Looking out at site of former hospital and laundry - keeping her plots united was City Battle #1. The sites were connected by secret tunnels.
Laundry, Boiler and Smokestack from the east of the site. Kindergarden/gym on left. City Battle #3. Similar historic view.
The site of the well that Mother Joseph constructed after she received her first City water bill - City Battle #2. What it looked like in 1966.
The laundry and smokestack, facing north. Inside the laundry building, 1952.
Laundry, South Side. 1999 Look. I will miss this gorgeous building.
Laundry and smokestack looking east. One of the most haunted spots at the site. 1953 view.
More Hidden paths in the rear of the complex on the way towards the laundry, as of 2020.
The Smokestack is a beloved local symbol of hope, seen from the local freeway. 1995 view.
The Boiler Room doors, post-fire. The Historic Trust plans to display these doors eventually.
Laundry, looking south. It didn't always look like this.
Irises outside of the Laundry, remnants of what used to be lush gardens.
From the property's edge looking west at the Kindergarden building.
Rounded bricks from decades of wind are one of SJ's favorite details here. Many people died in here from the 1918 Flu.
Ivy grows up and down the Smokestack. What a sad loss for us all.
The boiler room's wonderful herringbone masonry work deserved to be saved. This also powered the St. Joseph's Hospital.
The smokestack receives structural support from the boiler room, which had a bad fire and was sadly never repaired. 1995 look.
Boiler and smokestack from the northeast corner, looking southwest. This is near where the first St. Joseph's hospital and convent was.
Stairs down to 13th Street, on the way to the site of the third St. Joseph's hospital, looking back at boiler. Similar historic view and another.
In May 2021 the Aegis Development project began Phase One construction. Already old trees from the original footprint have been lost. Phase Two of this project will result in the loss of the Laundry and Boiler rooms and the beloved Smokestack. The cross-shaped lighting fixture the construction crew set up is particularly poignant when you remember who built this building and why. What a sad loss for the community.

St. Joseph's Hospital - First in the Pacific Northwest.

The first hospital in the Pacific Northwest (Peacehealth's Start!) was built by Mother Joseph in 1858 at Fort Vancouver. That first 16 X 20 building was eventually moved to the site at the Providence Academy, where it was demolished in 1930. The sisters bought a parcel of land at 9th and Reserve and Mother Joseph converted the existing structure into a larger hospital. They moved into this building on September 22, 1866 - 9/22 is SJ's birthday, which is fun! This second hospital burned on September 1, 1878 and was re­built and this developed into what was the "old" St. Joseph's Hospital. That site is now the Hudson's Bay High School's track.
The first convent/St. Joseph's Hospital was built in 1858. 1906 - Peacehealth's Start.
Eventually, the Sisters built the final St. Joseph's Hospital on 13th Street (after MoJo's death in 1902) in 1911. She was built from Hidden brick.
Another look at the final St. Joseph's in 1957.
The final (fourth) and Hidden brick St. Joseph's Hospital was across 13th Street from the Providence Academy, where the Black Angus restaurant sits now. The community eventually outgrew the building and a larger facility was built. This current large, modern Peacehealth Hospital is now on a street called Mother Joseph Way in Vancouver, in honor of the hospital's Foundress.
The Sisters operated the third St. Joseph's hospital on 9th and Reserve Streets in Vancouver starting in 1879 until 1911. The "old" St. Joseph's.
9th and Reserve is now a residential area backed up to the Fort Vancouver National Historical Reserve.
The site of the third St. Joseph's Hospital is now the track for Hudson's Bay High School across the street.

Update: September, 2023 Demolition

Sadly, the Providence Academy Laundry, Smokestack and Boiler Room outbuildings were demolished under the authority of an incorrect type permit issued by the City of Vancouver in September, 2023.
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