A brief history of the Peace & Spirituality Center at St. Mary-on-the-Lake

• In the early 1900s, the main house was built by a sea captain. He brought the fireplace mantle from Africa and other fixtures from his ship

• In the 1920s, the property was developed as a YMCA camp

• In 1945, the property was purchased by Thomas J. Bannan, a timber magnate and chairman of Western Gear Corporation as a showcase vacation house

• In the 1950s, the dock was built for a visit of President Eisenhower

• In 1955, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace purchased the property from the Bannans and the big house was renamed "Bannan House"

• From the 1970s to 2007, Bannan House was used as a day conference center

• In 2007, Bannan House was demolished to prepare for the building of the Peace & Spirtuality Center on the same site

• In 2008, the new Peace & Spirituality Center was completed and opened.