When Judge Edmund F. Dunne, founder
of
San Antonio, conveyed his
homestead land to the Order of St. Benedictine in 1889, the town of Saint Leo
was founded. That same year, the Benedictine Sisters established Holy Name
Academy. The next year a post office was established. And in 1891, the residents
voted to incorporate Saint Leo.
The
nearby town of
San Antonio had been
established a few years earlier as a Catholic colony, The growing population of
Catholics, mostly of Irish and German descent, were one of the reasons the
Benedictine Order decided to establish Saint Leo at this location.
In 1906, construction on a new abbey was started. While it was still under
construction, a three story building was moved from the north side of San
Antonio to Saint Leo to be used for the new Holy Name Convent. The town of Saint
Leo is currently home to a Benedictine Abbey and Holy Name Monastery. Saint Leo
University is, however, the primary feature of the town. First chartered in 1889
as Saint Leo College, it is one of the five largest Roman Catholic colleges and
universities in the United States.
The Saint Leo Benedictine Abbey has a gift shop that is open to the public, They
also welcome visitors at their guest house, where people of faith may get away
for a monastic experience in a single or double occupancy room with meals
included at the monastery dining hall. Advance reservations are required. The
Abbey is also available for group retreats. See the Saint Leo Abbey link below
for more information.
Golfers will also enjoy the Abbey Course at Saint Leo, which is open to the
public. The course offers a landscape of rolling hills with nice views, and some
of the holes can be quite challenging. Adjacent to the pro shop is the Abbey
Tavern, popular with locals for lunch and dinner.
Activities & Facilities
Dogs allowed
Short hiking trails
Paved bike trails