Sixteenth Street Orphanage

The Sixteenth Street Orphanage is a unisex orphanage, founded by evangelist Chester Bakersfield in the 18th century. Known initially as God's Covenant to Us All Orphanage, it became secularized in 1918.

When the 16th Street Orphanage faced closure due to lack of funds and severe over-crowding issues in 1924, the Gilman Legacy Foundation stepped in with a grant of an undisclosed amount.

This grant made it possible to keep the orphanage open and functioning, as well as able to move from 16th street in the center of the town to a rural abandoned farm just a few miles from it’s previous location.

This move, along with the addition of several dorms, helped the orphanage comply with the sweeping reforms being brought about by activists such as Jane Addams. Despite its new location, it retained the name “16th Street Orphanage” and is still open and actively serving the needs of abandoned children.