Mercy Home Orphanage

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Revision as of 18:15, 30 June 2024 by Dystopos (talk | contribs) (Created page with "The '''Mercy Home Orphanage''' was a residence for orphaned children operated by Mercy Home (now Gateway) in Woodlawn. The building, which opened in 1927, was completed through the efforts of Mrs C. B. Spencer. The 2-story main building housed administrative offices and dormitoriies for the older children, boys in one wing and girls in the other. The two-story brick structure was built for $80,000. On Christmas Day, 1935...")
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The Mercy Home Orphanage was a residence for orphaned children operated by Mercy Home (now Gateway) in Woodlawn. The building, which opened in 1927, was completed through the efforts of Mrs C. B. Spencer.

The 2-story main building housed administrative offices and dormitoriies for the older children, boys in one wing and girls in the other. The two-story brick structure was built for $80,000.

On Christmas Day, 1935 the electric lights at the home's Christmas tree started a fire which destroyed the administration building. Superintendent Esther Richter and matron Stella Trice and one 10-year-old boy suffered minor injuries during evacuation, but no lives were lost.

Residents quickly provided new clothing and Christmas gifts for the orphans, who were temporarily relocated to the Woodlawn Infirmary.

Shortly after 6:00 on the evening of December 25, 1935 a fire started in the boy's wing due to faulty wiring for lights in a Christmas tree. Though the fire spread rapidly, all of the 64 residents were evacuated safely to the nearby Woodlawn Infirmary. The fire continued to blaze well after the gas supply was shut off at 11:00 PM. A separate nursery building was undamaged.

References

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