A Catholic liberal arts college in Illinois that operated from 1868 to 1938.
St. Viator College grew from the Bourbonnais village school founded in 1865 by the Viatorians. It became a four-year liberal arts college on September 6, 1868, under Father Thomas Roy. Father M. J. Marsile led the college for 25 years following Roy's return to Canada. In 1906, a major fire destroyed several buildings, but the college continued operations in temporary quarters and erected new structures. Financial difficulties led to the college's closure in 1938.
The college offered a four-year liberal arts curriculum and maintained a preparatory department and high school in addition to college and seminary programs. It served over 300 students for most of its operational years. Many graduates pursued careers in law and medicine, while others entered the priesthood.
The 39-acre rural campus featured Roy Memorial Chapel, named for Father Thomas Roy, and Marsile Alumni Hall, honoring Father M. J. Marsile. St. Viator hosted the Catholic State Basketball Tournament for Illinois and was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1916 to 1938. Four original buildings from the St. Viator era remain on the current Olivet Nazarene University campus.
After closure in 1938, the campus was purchased by Olivet Nazarene College, which relocated from Olivet, Illinois. The institution produced notable alumni including Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, historian John Tracy Ellis, and other prominent figures in law, medicine, and entertainment.