Bicentennial Corner—February

The new St. Francis Home grew.  The first five years of the new Home saw the number of Sisters grow to 16 Sisters, 49 orphans from 31 families being received, a community of religous Brothers being established, and more older men and women making it their home.  The original five-room farmhouse, even with four more rooms being added, was soon filled to capacity.  A more spacious building, Holy Family Hall, was built in 1871 with bricks made from clay found on the property.

By 1878 the community numbered 27 Sisters, 72 orphans, and 23 aged men and women.  The once spacious building was too small.  Between 1878 and 1881 a wing was added to the main building and a chapel was built.  By 1884, the house was again crowded.  Three more additions were added and, in 1888, the chapel was enlarged.  Today, 150 years later, the additions having been removed, the original Holy Family Hall and the chapel, with some modifications, still stands and is known as St. Francis Convent.