Mount Vernon Seminary and College Media collection

The Mount Vernon Seminary began in 1875 as a private high school and junior college for women, founded by Elizabeth J. Somers. The George Washington University initially affiliated with Mount Vernon College, and ultimately acquired the college's property and legacy in 1999.

The first school of higher education available to women in Washington, D.C., Mount Vernon Seminary and College had five different locations throughout its history:

1875-1880: Elizabeth Somers began tutoring the young daughters of prominent Washington men in her home at 204 F Street, NW in Washington, DC.

1880-1917: The school moved to 1100 M Street, NW where it expanded rapidly to include three additional houses, a courtyard, tennis court, and basketball court.

1917-1942: Having outgrown its M Street location, the school moved to a 15.5-acre campus on Nebraska Avenue, NW. The buildings and layout of the campus were designed by a New York architect, Wesley S. Bessell. and the campus was formally dedicated on November 5, 1917 -- Mrs. Somers' 80th birthday. In 1942, the United States Navy took over the Nebraska Avenue campus to use its facilities for the war effort.

1943-1946: The school resumed courses in February 1943 at the top floor of a Garfinckel’s department store building in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

1946-1999: Between 1944 and 1946, the school built a new 21-acre campus located on Foxhall Road in Washington, D.C. using money granted to the college by the United States Navy in compensation for the military takeover of its property.

The last Seminary class graduated in 1969, and the school was then officially renamed to Mount Vernon Junior College. In 1976, Mount Vernon College became an accredited four year college. In 1997, the Board of Trustees decided that the College would close as an independent institution. As of June 30, 1999, Mount Vernon became affiliated with The George Washington University.