St. Catherine's was founded in 1890 by Virginia Randolph Ellett during the middle of Richmond's New South movement.
In 1917, the school was incorporated and moved to its present site in the Westhampton area of Richmond. It was sold to the Episcopal Church in 1920 and renamed for St. Catherine, the patron saint of young women, especially those undergoing education.
The school has produced at least three newspapers: The Scrap Basket, Odds 'n' Ends and Arcadian. The longest running being The Arcadian, which was published from 1940 to 2007.[5]