Genacross to Hold Celebration of Former Orphanage Building

Genacross Lutheran Services is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the former Lutheran Orphans’ Home building, located at 2411 Seaman Street, with an Open House on Sunday, April 28, 2019. The Open House will include public tours of building from noon-5 p.m.

The building welcomed children though its doors from April 6, 1919, until the orphanage was closed in 1964. Today, the building houses administrative offices for Genacross ministries, including its Family & Youth Services division, which continues the organization’s legacy of serving youth in need.

Preceding the Open House will be a 10:15 a.m. worship service at nearby First St. John Lutheran Church, located at 2471 Seaman St. First St. John served as the home church for the more than 1,000 children served by the orphanage.

During the public tours, there will be opportunities to see schoolrooms, dormitories, and other areas that have been maintained as they were when the building was filled with children and staff. Former residents of the orphanage will be available to share their stories of everyday life.

“We invite everyone to join in the celebration and share with us an integral part of the organization’s incredible history,” said Kathleen Lemmerbrock, Executive Director of the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation, which is sponsoring the celebration.

A private reunion of former residents of the Orphans’ Home is being held in conjunction with the public worship service and open house. For more information on the day’s events, please contact Anne Biel at 419.861.4965.