About CDHS

History of Cardinal Dougherty High School

--1842 Brookwoord 1958--

When Charles Henry Fisher built his home near the little village of Olney, the thought that it would some day be a thriving metropolis was far from his mind. But today it is just that a "home away from home" for more than 4000 high school students.

The land on which Cardinal Dougherty High School now stands was once a part of the Fisher Estate, "Brookwood", in Olney. Olney only consisted of a few narrow, un-lighted dirt roads and a few homes, when it received its name in 1749. The village was named by Alexander Wilson after a poem by the English poet, William Cowper.

In 1842, Charles Fisher built his home. His estate covered at that time, more then 400 acres and extended from Green Lane (on the "J" Door side) to a point near Oak Lane and Asbourne Roads in present day Cheltenham Township, and eastward towards Tookany Creek. The Fishers built their four story mansion on a hill 500 feet above sea level, at that time, on a clear day, Center City could be seen.

The elder Fisher died in 1862 and his vast estate was left to his son and three daughters. The oldest son, James Logan Fisher, who had a great love of horses and at one time, had a race track situated on what is now Cheltenham Avenue. When he died he was survived by his three sisters, Eliza, Ellen, and Maud Fisher. At the time of Maud's death the property had decreased in size to the land from Second Street to 66th Avenue, and from Green Lane to Tookany Creek.

The Brookwood Mansion itself was destroyed in 1940. In 1955, the land was purchased by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from the Daughters of the Most Holy Redeemer, who had intended to build a hospital there and the gorund breaking ceremony was conducted on June 28th, 1955 by Bishop McCormick as seen to the right.

Work on the proposed Cardinal Dougherty High School progressed rapidly and on September 5th, 1956, the school opened its doors to more than 2,000 students.

Such is the history, in capsule form, of the sight on which our school is built. Its future will tell of the transfer, not of properties, but of wisdom, ideals, and learning.  

Todaya, Cardinal Dougherty High School is one of 20 high schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The school was built during the great expansion of the Archdiocesan school system under the episcopate of John Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C. Construction was completed and the school opened in 1956. The school was named for Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, who preceded Cardinal O'Hara as Archbishop of Philadelphia. Since the time of its opening Cardinal Dougherty has graduated more than 40,000 men and women.