St. Louis Orphanages


The descriptions used in this selected list were gleaned from the institutional advertisements in the 1909 St. Louis Directory of Charities and Philanthropies, city directories, histories, and other documents. Unless noted, all facilities were located in St. Louis City.

Orphanages Dates Year, Address, & Tidbits
Annie Malone’s Childrens’ Home   (see St. Louis Colored Orphans’ Home)
Current  4411 N. Newstead Ave.
Babies’ Home & Christian Hospital Unknown–Closed 1909  2949 Euclid Ave.
Baptists Orphans’ Home 1882–Closed This facility merged with Missouri Baptist Orphans’ Home, and Mission Baptist Orphans’ Home. The facility is now called Missouri Baptist Childrens’ Home. Records are available at that location.
1882  Morgan St.
1906  Lafayette St.
Bethesda Foundling Home 1889–Unknown This facility had a capacity of 150 “waifs” younger than 3 years.
1908  3633 Vista Ave.
Blind Girls Home 1867–Open This facility provided a home for indigent blind women and was operated by the Women’s Christian Association. Today it is called the Mary Culver Home for the Visually Impaired.
Early  1214 N. Garrison Ave.
1909  5235 Page Blvd.
Current  221 W. Washington Ave., Kirkwood
Childrens’ Home Society of Missouri 1892–Open This facility took in destitute, neglected, and ill-treated children younger than 12 years. They had a Receiving Home at Newstead and Margaretta Aves. Suitable homes were found for the children. This facility currently cares for medically fragile children. Past records are available.
1909  Newstead & Margaretta Aves.
Current  9445 Litzsinger Rd., Brentwood
Christian Orphans’ Home 1887–Open This facility advertised a capacity of 150 orphans and half-orphans ages 2 to 12 years. This facility is now called NBA (National Benevolent Association) Emergency Children’s Home.
1900  915 Aubert Ave. near Euclid & Labadie Ave.
1909  2949 Euclid at Labadie Ave.
Colored Orphans’ Home 1888–Closed This facility cared for “colored” orphans.
1909  4216a Natural Bridge Rd.
Edgewood Children’s Center 1858–Open This facility was formed from Girls Home and Girls’ Industrial Home. This home has two locations.
Current  4974 Heege Rd., Affton
Current  330 N. Gore Ave., Webster Groves
Episcopal Orphans’ Home 1843–Closed 1843  Spruce St. between 5th & 6th Sts.
1848  Franklin St.
1853  11th & Monroe Sts.
1900  1701 Grand Ave. at Lafayette
Epworth Home for Girls 1909–Open Several other homes merged into Epworth, which is currently open.
1909  110 N. Elm Ave., Webster Groves
Evangelical Children’s Home 1858–Open Current  8240 St. Charles Rock Rd., St. John
German Evangelical Lutheran Orphans’ Home 1868–1970s Associated with the German Lutheran Hospital, this was a home for Lutheran orphans ranging in age from 2 to 18 years. They were taught farming, sewing, housekeeping, etc.
1868  Manchester & Ballas Rds., Des Peres
German General Protestant Orphans’ Home 1877–Open This was a home for orphans and half orphans. The children attended public schools. This facility currently offers Ronald McDonald House services.
1877  17th St. & Chouteau Ave.
1909  4447 Natural Bridge Rd. near Newstead Ave.
1962  12685 Olive Blvd.
German Protestant Orphans’ Home 1858–Open This facility had a capacity of 230 children and accepted orphans of all creeds or nationalities. The current name is Evangelical Children’s Home.
Current  8240 St. Charles Rock Rd., St. John
German St. Vincent’s Orphans’ Home 1851–Open This facility cared for Catholic orphans and half orphans ages 1 to 12 years.
1851  20th & Cass Sts.
1909  1421 Hogan St.
Current  7401 Florissant Rd., Normandy
Girls Home 1853–Merged This facility merged with Edgewood Children’s Center in the 1970s.
1853  19th St. & Morgan (Delmar) Blvd.
1900  5501 Enright Ave.
Girls’ Industrial Home 1854–Merged Orphan girls aged 3 to 12 years were taught useful arts and industries, including “domestic science.” This facility and St. Louis Protestant Orphans’ Asylum became Edgewood Children’s Center.
1900  5501 Von Verson (Enright) Ave.
House of Good Shepherd 1852–Closed This facility was part of the House of Refuge.
1852  11th & Chestnut Sts.
House of the Guardian Angel Unknown–Closed This was a Catholic institution with a capacity of 35 to 40 girls and offered training for sewing and domestic work to moral young girls who were orphans and half orphans.
1909  1029 Marion St
Jewish Orphans’ Home 1919–Open This facility became the Jewish Family & Childrens’ Service.
1929  6630 Oakland Ave.
Current  9385 Olive Blvd.
Lutheran Orphans’ Home 1868–Closed 1868  Kirkwood
Masonic Home of Missouri 1886–1970s This facility was restricted to Missouri Masons, and their widows and children who had no means of support.
1900  5351 Delmar Blvd.
Methodist Childrens’ Home of St. Louis 1879–Merged This facility had a capacity for 200 orphans and half orphans of Protestant parentage. The age limits were boys 8 to 14 years and girls 2-1/2 to 18 years. This facility merged with Epworth.
1909  4385 Maryland Ave. (girls)
1909  3533 Laclede Ave (boys)
1951  3715 Jamison Ave.
Current  110 N. Elm Ave., Webster Groves
Mission Free School 1852–Closed 1860  8th St.
1881  9th St.
Missouri Baptist Childrens’ Home 1883–Open Formed from Missouri Baptist Orphans’ Home, Baptists Orphans’ Home, and Mission Baptist Home.
Current  11300 St. Charles Rock Rd., Bridgeton
Missouri Baptist Orphans’ Home 1883–Merged This home cared for Baptist children, with a capacity of 75 to 80 children, ages birth to 12 years. The home was on the “St. Charles Electric line,” and additional cottages on 15 acres housed 200 children.
1883  Pattonville
Mullanphy Orphans’ Home Unknown–Closed The Catholic Sisters had the capacity to care for 20 orphans at this facility.
1909  Taylor & Maryland Aves.
NBA (National Benevolent Association) Emergency Childrens’ Home. 1887–Open Formed from Christian Orphan Home.
Current  3033 N. Euclid Ave.
Orphans’ Home of the Protestant Episcopal Church 1847–Closed This facility cared for 40 children.
1909  Grand Blvd. & Lafayette Ave.
Roman Catholic House of Good Sheperd 1852-1895 1852  Chestnut & 18th Sts.
St. Ann’s Infant Asylum 1859–Merged Merged with St. Ann’s Widows’ Home and  St. Mary’s Female Orphan Asylum
St. Ann’s Widows’ Home 1859–Closed This facility was also known as the St. Ann’s Infant Asylum.
1859  10th & O’Fallon Sts.
St. Bridget Orphan Asylum 1862–Closed  
St. Domenico Orphan Home 1921–1962 Also known as St. Domenico Italian Orphan Home, this institution was initially funded by estates in 1921 and 1925 to provide for Italian orphans. The building was purchased in 1930. The home was operated by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood. Eventually, the children's ancestry was mixed.
1340 Partridge Ave., University City
St. Francis Colored Orphan Asylum 1882–1965 This Normandy facility, two blocks south of the Suburban Railway Station, was operated by the Catholic Sisters with a capacity for 80 “colored” orphan girls ages 2 to 12 years.
1882  14th & Morgan (Delmar) Sts.
1887  4538 Page Ave.
1905  Normandy
St. Joseph’s Boys Orphans’ Asylum 1835–2001 This facility accepted Catholic boys ages 3 to 12 years. The records for this facility are located at Catholic Services for Children and Youth at Kenrick Seminary.
1895  4701 S. Grand Blvd.
1935  4753 S. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis Colored Orphans’ Home 1888–Open This facility cared for “colored” orphans and half-orphans, ages 10 to 14 years. The children attended public school. It is now the Annie Malone Children Home.
1888  1427 N. 12th St.
1909  4316 Natural Bridge Rd.
1922  2612 Goode St.
1946  2612 Annie Malone Dr.
or 4411 N. Newstead Ave.
St. Louis Protestant Orphan Asylum 1853–Open This Webster Groves facility cared for boys and girls of all religions. The age limits for boys 2-1/2 to 11 years, and for girls were 2-1/2 to 16 years. The orphanage was formerly in St. Louis and moved to a 50-acre farm in Webster Groves. The name was changed to Edgewood Children’s Center after merging with other facilities.
1869  330 N. Gore Ave., Webster Groves
St. Mary’s Female Orphan Asylum 1846–Merged This facility accepted Catholic girls ages 5 to 12 years. In 1859, it merged with St. Ann’s Infant Asylum.
1846  10th & Biddle Sts.
1853  11th & Marion Sts.
1900  15th & Clark Sts.
1909  Emerson & Harvey Aves.
St. Philomena Industrial School & Orphanage 1834–Unknown This facility, operated by the Catholic Sisters, taught “practical industries” to girls older than 12 years. In 1910, the name changed to St. Philomena Technical School and was open to all, not just orphans. They continued to teach sewing and cooking skills to the girls.
1900  Clark & Ewing Aves.
1910  Union & Cabanne Aves.