Our History
In August 1992, the search began for a site for an independent living community for the low-income elderly. The Glenmary Sisters had vacated their provincial/convent in 1991 and put the building and ground up for sale. St. James Church purchased the 7.5 acres for $360,000 in July 1992. Having heard that St. James did not want the building, the Board of Trustees then began to negotiate with St. James Cemetery Association to lease the building as we did not have the monies to purchase. The Board and Association agreed on a five-year lease, which expired in November 1997. The Board of Trustees was then able to purchase the property, and the mortgage was paid by a generous gift from the estate of Helen Steinman on September 17, 2002.
Since purchase, Our Lady of the Woods has made many repairs to the facility, including installation of an elevator, replacement of the roof, and renovation of the chapel, made possible by gifts in memorium of Susan Buttelwerth. In 2005, we purchased a 14-passenger bus to take residents on outings.