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House of worship, Dexter-Linwood, since 1925

Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Photographed standing in 2008

Sacred Heart Major Seminary, located at 2701 West Chicago Boulevard, at the western edge of the Boston-Edison Historic..., 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1925
Style
Collegiate Gothic Revival
Standing
101 years

Designed by Donaldson & Meier

Sacred Heart Major Seminary has stood on W. Chicago Blvd. in Dexter-Linwood since 1925, 101 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Sacred Heart Major Seminary

The landmark St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Umdet, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sacred Heart Major Seminary for use in eponymous article, 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Città del Vaticano, Cupola della Basilica di S. Pietro, 2006 Photo: MarkusMark, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

Standing and open

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 24, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

Sacred Heart Major Seminary opened in 1925, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top.

Credit the design to Donaldson & Meier, in the Collegiate Gothic Revival style.

It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

It still stands and still opens its doors.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 2701 W. Chicago Blvd and look up.

Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a private Catholic seminary in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Detroit.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1925 Built Designed by Donaldson & Meier
  2. 1982 Listed on the National Register December 2, 1982
  3. 2026 Today 101 years and still standing

Where it is

2701 W. Chicago Blvd.

On this map

  1. Sacred Heart Major Seminary This place
  2. Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple 460 ft
  3. Lee Manor 0.2 mi
  4. St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church 0.5 mi
  5. Frederick W. Sanders House 0.6 mi
  6. Laredo Apartments 0.6 mi
  7. New Bethel Baptist Church 0.7 mi
  8. New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 0.8 mi
  9. Vaughn's Book Store 0.8 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Donaldson & Meier
Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Donaldson & Meier

American architectural firm, founded 1882. Designed the Penobscot Building (1928) and 58 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Donaldson & Meier

More from Detroit in the 1920s

Around the block

It is in Dexter-Linwood. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. Sacred Heart Major Seminary, located at 2701 West Chicago Boulevard, at the western edge of the Boston-Edison Historic..., 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. The landmark St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Umdet, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Sacred Heart Major Seminary for use in eponymous article, 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Città del Vaticano, Cupola della Basilica di S. Pietro, 2006 Photo: MarkusMark, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.