Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (FSHA) is a private Catholic high school for girls directed by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. Nestled on a scenic 41-acre campus in the San Rafael Hills near the San Gabriel Mountains, the academy serves both day and boarding students. Approximately 12% of the student body resides on campus. The school offers a unique learning environment that blends Catholic spiritual traditions and historic architecture with state-of-the-art educational facilities. Read more at losangeles1.one.
From Grand Hotel to Educational Hub
The site of the modern-day academy was originally home to the Flintridge Hotel, a luxury resort that opened its doors on December 14, 1927. The project was the brainchild of U.S. Senator Frank P. Flint, who owned the land. Renowned California architect Myron Hunt, a master of the Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival styles, designed the stunning complex.
The property was later acquired by the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels chain and renamed the Flintridge Biltmore Hotel. The expansive resort featured a main building with a dining room, lounge, and courtyard, along with six private family cottages, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a golf course, and various recreational areas. However, the Great Depression took its toll, rendering the business unprofitable. The hotel shuttered in 1931, and the buildings sat vacant for nearly two years.
In 1931, James Cantwell informed Mother Dolorosa of the Sacred Heart Convent in Los Angeles about the available property. Following negotiations with the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy corporation was established. To acquire the complex, its six cottages, and 54 acres of land, the Sisters secured a $150,000 loan from Security First National Bank of Los Angeles. The deed was signed on August 4, 1931, and the Sisters officially moved in on August 15. Classes began just weeks later, on September 2, for 200 students in grades 1 through 12. While it began exclusively as a boarding school, the 1951 completion of a new $210,000 high school building marked its evolution into a premier secondary institution.
Transforming the Space
The school’s main administrative building is the former Flintridge Biltmore Hotel, which still retains many of its original 1927 interior features. The wood-paneled dining room, complete with its original chandeliers, continues to serve students and the Dominican Sisters today. After the school opened, the hotel’s amenities were repurposed for education: the billiard room became a chapel, the beauty salon was converted into administrative offices, and the ballroom became a student recreation space. During the 1956–1957 school year, a new auditorium was added, providing a professional stage for theatrical performances. Sadly, a fire in 1971 destroyed the music conservatory, a building known as the Octagon.
A major campus expansion occurred in 1998 with the opening of the 26,000-square-foot Student Activities Center. This facility houses modern science labs, a gymnasium, training rooms, a multi-purpose field, and an amphitheater. Following its completion, the original science labs in the main building were converted into standard classrooms.
Located on the border of Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge—less than a mile from Glendale—the school maintains an official mailing address in La Cañada Flintridge. Within the local community, the school is affectionately known as “The Hill” because of its prominent perch atop the San Rafael Hills.
The Educational Model
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy is a Catholic girls’ high school that balances rigorous academics with spiritual growth in the tradition of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. Operating as both a day and boarding school, approximately 12% of its students live in on-campus dormitories. Starting in the 1950s, the school began phasing out its primary grades, officially closing the elementary school in 1963 to focus exclusively on secondary education.
Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, FSHA offers a robust college-preparatory curriculum featuring Honors and Advanced Placement courses. It remains dedicated to the Catholic educational mission of the Dominican Sisters. Notably, Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford, attended the school in the mid-1950s, an experience she later detailed in her memoir, Mommie Dearest.
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy stands as a prime example of transforming a historic landmark into a modern educational hub with a clear spiritual mission. By blending 1920s architectural heritage with Catholic tradition and modern facilities, the school provides a one-of-a-kind learning environment for girls in Southern California. Rooted in history yet focused on the future, it continues to play a vital role in the private Catholic education landscape of the Los Angeles area.
