In April, 1817, the "Roman Catholic Benevolent Society" was incorporated by act of Legislature, the Right Rev. Bishop Connolly being its first president.

The Institution for several years consisted of poor wooden structures located at what is now Prince street, but was at that time far out of the city. The present edifice, at the corner of Mott and Prince streets, stands on the original site, and was erected in 1825. It is a large four-story brick, with accommodations for three hundred and fifty children It now stands in the midst of a dense population, and is occupied by about two hundred of the larger girls, who are employed in needle and laundry work, and other industrial pursuits. These areadopted or indentured at from fourteen to seventeen years of age. A few, regarded as more than ordinarily brilliant, are sent to the academy in Forty-second street, where they pass through a three years' course of instruction. The Asylum has been from the first under the charge of the Sisters of Charity, who superintend the studies of the children; instruct the girls in the various industrial arts, and attend to all the interests of the household. In 1846, the Asylum being inadequate to the demands, the society obtained from the Common Council, for one dollar a year, a grant of 450 feet of the west end of the block lying between Fifty-first and Fifty-second streets, fronting on Fifth avenue. Upon this site was completed in November, 1851, a beautiful four-story brick edifice, since known as the boys' buildings. The building consists of a central portion sixty feet by thirty, with front and rear enclosed balconies, fifteen feet wide on each story, and of two wings of the same height. In the rear of the northern wing is a building fifty by twenty-five feet, used for kitchen, laundry, etc. The ceilings are high, the entire building well ventilated and warmed, and well arranged with class-rooms, dormitories, chapel, etc. In the rear is a large play-ground, while the grounds in front are richly cultivated, and profusely set with choice shrubbery and flowers.

In 1857, the authorities granted the remaining portion of the same block of ground, extending to Fourth avenue, for additional buildings. Madison avenue, having since been extended, forms at present its western boundary. A plan was now formed for the erection, of one of the largest and finest orphan houses in the country, for the reception and training of the smaller girls. The northern wing, two hundred feet in length and five stories high, was begun in 1866, and sufficiently completed for the reception of the children on the 23d of August, 1868. The basement contains the kitchen, laundry, heating appliances for the whole establishment, etc. The cooking, washing, and heating are performed with steam. The first floor contains a dining-room of immense capacity. All the additional stories of this wing are to be devoted to dormitories, after the other portions are completed. These floors afford ample space for one hundred and fifty single beds each, and even more could be introduced.

The high price of building materials at the time of its erection, and the purchase of the needed machinery, swelled the cost of this first section of the enterprise to nearly $150,000. In March, 1869, the main edifice fronting on Madison avenue was begun, and completed in the space of a year. This contains the parlors, school-rooms, the private apartments, and was completed at a less expense than the preceding. Another immense wing, the counterpart of the one first erected, is soon to follow, which will contain the chapel, infirmary, and various needed accommodations. The buildings are all five stories above the basement, constructed with excellent taste, of pressed brick and freestone; in the Gothic order, with French roof, and will afford accommodation for one thousand children. This establishment, both for its colossal proportions and the beauty of its architecture, greatly exceeds the two preceding, which had previously been considered large and model asylums. About three hundred of the smaller girls, composed of orphans and half-orphans, are here domiciled at this writing. A regular English course of study is taught on five days of the week, a portion of Saturday and the Sabbath being devoted to the Roman catechism, and other exercises of religion.

The last Legislature contributed $10,000 of the people's money to this Institution.