Sketch of a portion of SCU's campus near the Mission Church, 1856-1868
Closer view of sketch
After founding Santa Clara College, Nobili aimed to grow the school physically by purchasing new properties and rehabilitating additional mission buildings. In 1854, he obtained title to an old adobe structure known as the California hotel, which was located north of the mission church and mission cemetery. The California hotel was also situated partly on top of the Indian burial ground. Next, Nobili adorned the campus with its first new building, a brick chapel. He began the erection of a brick chapel just north of the sacristy of the old Mission Church.
While inspecting the construction of the chapel in February 1856, Father Nobili stepped on a nail sticking up in a piece of scantling and was seriously injured. Eleven days later, Nobili’s doctors discovered that he had contracted tetanus. After suffering agonizing pain of lockjaw for two days, Nobili died on March 1, 1856. He was buried in the crypt beneath the floor of the chapel he was building, in compliance with his special wish.
On October 21, 1868, there was a very violent earthquake in the valley which was the cause of much destruction around the campus. Walls were damaged and windows shattered, but the building that suffered most was the famous brick chapel put up by Father Nobili, in which reposed his remains. In a short while it had been reduced to a crumbing pile of bricks. The remains of Father Nobili were transferred to a resting place under the floor of the old Mission church, where they lie today.
