1909 – Our Lady of Victory Academy was designed by the prominent Fort Worth architectural firm of Sanguinet and Staats. The large Gothic Revival style structure featured red pressed brick with limestone trim. The cornerstone was laid in a ceremony on August 5, 1909.

1910 – The Our Lady of Victory Academy opened as a day school and boarding school for young women and girls. The Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur founded the school as an outgrowth of Saint Ignatius Academy in downtown Fort Worth. It served also as convent for the Sisters.

1930’s– A junior college was added.

1956 – The college and the novitiate were moved to the University of Dallas.

1960’s – The high school stopped taking boarders in 1961. The high school was moved and named Nolan Catholic High School, a co-educational institution. The elementary school remains on the grounds.

1980’s – Upkeep of the convent became too difficult for the few elderly sisters remaining in the convent. Renovation was deemed too costly. The Order of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur had a new convent constructed to the north west of the building and ceased using the 1909 structure.

1991– The Sisters sought to obtain a demolition permit for the building. There was a moratorium on the demolition of historic buildings in Fort Worth, and the Sisters agreed to let the Historic Preservation Council for Tarrant County market the building for a year.

1992– Historic Landmarks, Inc. was founded and purchased the building for $60,000. The building was spared the wrecking ball, but unfortunately much of its statuary and decor had been sold or pilfered.

1993 – In March, a fundraiser was held at Rockin’ Rodeo country-western club with over 500 people in attendance. In October, Hemphill Hall Haunted House opened to help raise renovation funds for the 65,000 square-foot building.

2002 – Funding was secured and construction began to renovate the building into the Victory Arts Center, a unique residential and studio space designed especially for Fort Worth’s creative community.

2004 – Victory Arts Center opened its doors.
The building is a City of Fort Worth Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Primary source material for this brief history is the Tarrant County Historic Resources Survey