Our Legacy

Dominican Academy was founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1897 as a co-educational school for grades K-12. In 1936, the Academy moved from its original location at 706 Madison Avenue to the former Friedsam mansion at 44 East 68th Street, where it remains today as one of the premier Catholic secondary schools for young women in New York City. 

The building was constructed in 1921 as the private residence of Colonel Michael Friedsam, the former president of the B. Altman and Co. and one of the premier art collectors in America at that time. The six-story building fashioned in limestone was designed by Frederick Frost, with wrought ironwork by Samuel Yellin. Friedsam's collection contained numerous masterpieces by artists such as Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Van Eyck, and Botticelli. Many of the original architectural elements, including carved marble fireplaces, stained glass windows, and ornate woodwork, are still in place today, creating a unique environment for learning.

Upon Friedsam’s death in 1931, his art collection – which was valued at $10 million dollars at the time - was divided between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. Many items can still be viewed to this day. in 1936, the executors of Colonel Friedsam's estate gave the Dominican sisters use of the building for $1, under the provision that it will always be used for educational purposes. D.A. graduated its first class from 44 East 68th Street in 1939 and has seen thousands of young women thrive in its hallowed halls ever since.

Dominican Academy underwent its first major enhancement in the summers of 2017 and 2018 which included the addition of two full-sized classrooms, reconfiguration of the library and dedicated chapel, and replacement of the building's technology and security infrastructure. Learn more about our Tradition through Transformation project here.