The Methodist Home history

Following their success, American rooted M.E. advocates formed The Woman’s Home Missionary Society in 1880; focusing on the needs of under-served communities in the United States.

Holston United Methodist Home for Children was founded in 1895 when Mrs.

In 1909, nearly 2,500 individuals gathered at the First Church in Los Angeles, California for the Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting of the Board of Managers of the Woman’s Home Missionary Society.

Thus, the David & Margaret Home was founded on June 28, 1910.

In 1922, a much larger home was built on the land, with the capacity for 28 children.

Construction for the new Village began in 1927 after a $725,000 gift from Sebastian S. Kresge, as well as additional gifts from the Webber, Holcroft, Ford, & Hanley families.

1939 – First session as the The Methodist Church with the unification of the Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Protestant Church

In 1943 MCHS bought 50 adjoining acres.

Two more cottages were built in 1947, one gifted by the Shaffer family, and another gifted by the daughter of Mrs.

Three years later, construction began on The Children’s Chapel, also designed by Architect J. Ivan Dise, and it was dedicated in 1951.

By 1964, David & Margaret had become a freestanding nonprofit after a ruling from the IRS and they had expanded their services, focusing on the care of adolescent girls in foster care.

Besides for an addition to Kresge Hall in 1967, over 4 decades passed without any major construction on the property.

In 1975, UMW deeded the property to D&M. However, UMW retains a reversionary interest in the property to ensure that it will continue to be used for its intended purpose to serve women, children, and youth in need.