History of the O'Neil Tower

The iconic façade of Old Main would be incomplete without the presence of O’Neil Tower, the four-story tower through which students, faculty, staff, and visitors enter the oldest building on campus. Prior to the construction of the initial college complex, the Sisters envisioned a tower that would be the “main feature of the school,” but the high expense of the project forced the Sisters to put the plans for the tower and a chapel on hold until funds could be raised. For the founding Sisters, it was a disappointment to be sure but not a devastating one. They remained confident that the tower and chapel would be built eventually, even if it took decades to gather the funds. Mother Borgia even remarked that “the building will not be at its best until we have this [tower].”

It would have been a decades-long wait until ��ҹ�糡 would be able to finance the project if not for the generosity of Mrs. Orva O’Neil. Mrs. O’Neil was a former student of Mother Borgia and had kept up a close friendship with her; her husband, James O’Neil, had two sisters who became Sisters of Mercy. James, who was from Titusville, had made a fortune in the oil industry, and Orva had suggested on multiple occasions that they contribute financially to the new ��ҹ�糡 College. By the time James died in 1931, he had made clear his desire to fund the construction of a chapel at the college, and the building of the tower was to be part of this project. The O’Neils were ��ҹ�糡’s first major benefactors, and their contributions funded not only what would become O’Neil Tower—named for James O’Neil—but the Chapel and Grotto as well.

The tower was initially designed to reach an impressive height of 170 feet, at least six stories high. These plans, drawn up by architect Ferdinand Durang, the designer of Old Main, proved impractical. A six-story tower would be more costly and would be vulnerable to bad weather. Instead, the Sisters opted for a four-story design created by local architect Walter Monahan. Ground was broken for the project in 1932, and it was completed the following year – not even a decade after the opening of the college.

The tower has served a plethora of functions over the years. Initially, it housed the library’s reading room and materials, as well as a multifunctional suite for use by the O’Neil family. Currently, it holds administrative and academic offices. But the first-floor foyer has remained consistent in its function over the years, welcoming notable guests like Eleanor Roosevelt, the Von Trapp Family, and Bishop Fulton Sheen, as well as acting as the venue for holiday traditions and other festivities.

Today, the tower is illuminated nightly—a striking sight and a fitting treatment for one of the most recognizable structures on campus, the image of which has served as ��ҹ�糡’s corporate logo. Its cornerstone bears a Latin phrase—In Te, Domine, Speravi, or In thee, Lord, have I hoped—that captures the unshakable faith of the Sisters of Mercy in all their endeavors. Decades later, Mother Borgia’s words still ring true for all who enter the ��ҹ�糡 Gates: Old Main is at its best now that it has O’Neil Tower.