Aurora (population 142,990) is located in far northeastern Illinois in the southeastern
portion of Kane County. Interstate Highway 88 passes through the northside of Aurora. Illinois Route 31 passes
through town from north to south and U.S. Route 30 passes through the south side of town. The Burlington Northern
Railroad line makes its way through town as well. The Fox River curves through Aurora from the north to the
south. According to the 2000 Illinois Census, Aurora is the 3rd largest city in Illinois.
A nice history of the town of Aurora can be viewed at http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/91.html. In summary, this article tells us that the area of Aurora was first settled in 1834 with the town officially
incorporated in 1845. Its location along the Fox River made it an instant success with the textile mill and grist mill industry. The
Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad line made its way to Aurora in 1856 futher bolstering the town's industry. Aurora
has grown from a population of over 11,000 in 1870 to today's (2000) population of over 142,000.
Charlie Essig tells us that Aurora Fox Valley Catholic High School for Boys was created
in the 1920s. The main building for the school was erected in 1926. Aurora Fox Valley Catholic High School
for Boys stood strong through 1933. It was this year that the monks of St. Meinrad Abbey combined Jasper Academy in Indiana
with Fox Valley Catholic High School for Boys. The school was restructured to become a military school in 1935 and the name
was changed to Aurora Marmion Military Academy.
Additional information about the formation of the school comes from the pages of the "History of the Catholic
Diocese of Rockford, Illinois" written in 1924 by the Rev. Cornelius J. Kirkfleet states that the school was a vision
of Bishop Peter Muldoon, who believed in having centrally located Catholic high schools in the larger populated areas of his
diocese (such as Rockford, Freeport, Sterling, and Aurora). In the summer of 1923, Bishop Muldoon agreed in principle
to pay $17,000.00 for a site on Lake Street between Illinois and Wilder Avenues, and invited seven parishes in the community
to raise the funds.
Each parish had its own quota for its own share to go towards the cost (based on parish strength) and raised
the money needed to purchase the site. Even though another site was also considered at the corner of Root and College Streets,
the Bishop stated that the Lake Street site was his preference and the pastors of the seven parishes obliged their superior.
The School Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee were also asked to assume teaching duties at the school, contingent of financial
arrangements to make the move to Aurora to relocate, which they did, and Fox Valley Catholic High School became a reality.
For further information on this school check out the following web addresses:
