St. Michael's Orphan Asylum
and Industrial School Building

View of the main building seen from Princeton Road. The car allows for a good estimate of the building size. This photo, originally published in the Trenton Evening Times, May 11, 1964, was provided to us by Doreen.

The photo below shows the full scope of the buildings and the farm land behind the buildings. This photo, discovered by Doreen as she was cleaning out closets, was from a book. I do not know the title.

Is the area behind the buildings called Drake's Farm?

When St. Michael opened its doors in 1898, the first children came from St. Mary's in New Brunswick, NJ, to be cared for by the Sisters of St. Francis of Glen Riddle, PA. A nursey was added in 1914, a gymnasium was built in 1922, and the Boy's Building was constructed in 1931. The original Home expanded over time to be a five story, 450 child capacity, stone building on 500 acres of land, a very impressive accomplishment.

Photo of the Home around 1970
St. Michael's Orphan Aslym and Industrial Home