History

In the early 1900s, rural family life had diminished as people flocked to cities. A growing number of older people and orphans were left without resources and homes. In Chicago, Presbyterians responded by establishing settlement houses where people could find entertainment, instruction, and worship in the spirit of Christian goodwill.

At a meeting of the Chicago Presbytery, Rev. Norman Barr, pastor of Olivet Church made a motion to establish a home for older Presbyterians with limited financial means. This led to the creation of the Presbyterian Homes Charter, which was registered on April 21, 1904.

A small start was made, but the first real "home" was established in Chicago in 1914. Set on Chicago's south side, this humble, aging clapboard structure (close to what is today McCormick Place) housed six older people.

The demand grew quickly. Temporary space was found in Highland Park - leased for only a dollar a year and housing 25 older people. In 1915, the Board of Directors purchased a partially wooded twenty-acre site in northwest Evanston for $12,000. Eventually the board purchased the adjoining land completing the 40-acre site as it stands today. Ground was broken in 1921 and on October 11, 1922, Geneva Place welcomed its first residents.

The Presbyterian Homes' mission drew enormous approval and support from all walks of life. In Chicago and throughout the Midwest, influential families and individuals made generous donations. But so did hundreds of others who wished to continue and expand this work with older adults.

As Presbyterian Homes grew, the mission evolved in response to changing times and needs. The program was expanded to serve older adults of all faiths and economic means. Although serving a broader population, Presbyterian Homes continues to reach out to those in financial need, spending seven million dollars annually on benevolent initiatives.

With the exception of the years during World War II, Presbyterian Homes enjoyed a steady growth. Thanks to the generosity of various benefactors, several additions were made to the North Evanston campus. In the 1960's, Westminster Place, with its cottages, townhomes and apartments was constructed to serve older adults with greater financial resources. A modern health care facility - the McGaw Care Center - was given by Foster McGaw in memory of his wife, Mary, to better meet the long-term care needs of older adults. In 1985, Evanston's King Home joined the Presbyterian Homes family. In 1990, the Wilson/Sidwell Apartments opened to provide assisted living as a bridge between independent living and health care. And, in 1991, Ten Twenty Grove was added as an additional option for independent seniors.

Presbyterian Homes made its first move beyond its borders in 1994 when it launched its Neighborhood Homes Program with Lake View Place on Chicago's north side. Crowder Place opened in 1998. This program offers affordable, subsidized housing to enable older adults to remain in their communities.

In 1996, construction began on a 49-acre site in Lake Forest. This state-of-the-art retirement community - Lake Forest Place - opened in 1998 and is home to more than 400 residents. And in 2000, The Moorings of Arlington Heights - a continuing care community in the northwest suburbs - joined the Presbyterian Homes family. We recently added the Great Opportunities Adult Day Services program in Skokie to provide daytime-only support for older adults in a secure and stimulating environment.

Today, Presbyterian Homes is an award-winning organization and one of the country's oldest and most experienced providers of retirement living. We continue to honor the mission of our founders, who believed in providing joyful, engaging and spirited communities for older adults.

If you would like to know more about our history, please indicate your request on the Information Request Form. We'll send you our soft cover volume entitled Our First Century.