Then and Now: Cathedral and Marshall

This aerial photo comparison shows Duluth Cathedral High School circa 1970 and the same campus in 2025 as Duluth Marshall School.

The roots of the school go back to 1881, when the Benedictine Sisters of Duluth held classes in a rundown livery barn adjacent to Sacred Heart Parish. In 1885 the parish built a new school, named St. Thomas Cathedral School for philosopher/theologian St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Catholic Diocese of Duluth was established in 1902 and plans were made for a new Cathedral School at Second Avenue West and Fourth Street. It opened in 1904.

The school made the move to its Rice Lake Road campus in 1963. Its governance was taken over by a private board in 1972 and it became a nondenominational, all-faith institution. It retained the name Cathedral High School until 1987, when it changed to Marshall School to honor the Albert Morley Marshall family.

The 2025 photo was shot by Tomas Soderberg for Perfect Duluth Day.

The circa 1970 image is from an undated postcard. Below is a second Cathedral postcard with an photo from a different angle.