A Century of Care

Over 100 years ago, a Christian lady desired to fulfill a lifelong dream of building a home for “aged Baptist ministers and missionaries.” Her name was Hannah Atherton Baldwin, and she attended a meeting of the Southern California Baptist Convention and offered them $50,000 to build a building and start this new ministry. The structure was built in Burbank in just 9 months, with space to accommodate 50 retired ministers. But a problem arose when there were not enough aged ministers in southern California who were looking for housing.

After a decade of struggle, the original building was sold, and in 1923, 1.5 acres were purchased on the south side of Irving Street in the Washington Irving Tract in Alhambra. “Atherton Villa” became “Atherton Court” as the leaders adopted a new style of community based around a series of bungalows. By 1930, there were 5 buildings on the small campus housing 18 people, but a new pattern was established that would flourish and grow over the decades in the fertile soil of the Alhambra community.

This year, Atherton celebrates its 100th anniversary in Alhambra. With 75 buildings on their 15-acre campus, 365 residents live there either independently or with assisted or skilled services. Today not all these residents are “aged Baptist ministers and missionaries,” but Atherton still embraces its heritage of providing “a senior living community rooted in Christian values, enriching lives and honoring all.”

As Atherton has built and grown, the community of Alhambra has worked with them to help expand and provide the best facilities and services for seniors in the community. Their 220 employees find meaningful and steady work in the Atherton community and take advantage of the housing, restaurants, and shopping which our Alhambra community provides. This symbiotic relationship allows not only the Atherton community to thrive and prosper, but also allows the community of Alhambra to prosper.

As a business, we are grateful for our partnership with the City, and we are happy to invest in Alhambra to make this a great place to live and work. Thank you, Alhambra, for making it possible for a business like ours to grow and thrive, for a century!