ST. MARY'S ISLAND, NOTRE DAME
"Chapel on St. Mary's Island used up to 1849 for retreats of Brothers and priests. In 1847 the relics of St. Severa -- now in the college church -- brought from Rome and given to the Brothers by Bishop Hailandiere, were placed there."
"The Chronicles Comment: 'It is on the Island of St. Mary of the Lake that will be placed the beautiful statue of the Holy Virgin, which the zeal of the boarders of Our Lady of Holy Cross (Le Mans) and of several other charitable persons has sent to Notre Dame. Already foundations are being laid for a boarding school, which in a short time will unite a large number of students if one can judge by the applications already made. It is to take care of that house, already composed of 24 Brothers, all Americans except the six who left from France in 1841, and the three additional ecclesiastics, with a Brother (Eloi) and five sisters who left France in June and September of the present year.... The climate must be the same as that of Provence, for Notre Dame is in the same latitude; the heat, though is more intense here, and one finds a number of snakes; the cold is also more rigorous, without doubt because of the vast plains covered with forests."
-- Etrennes Spir.