Bashor Children's Home records

In 1901 John W. and Emeline Bashor gave the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church a 160-acre farm, including the house and buildings, for the purpose of establishing a children's home. Twenty-five years later they had neither acted upon nor knew what to do with the gift. In 1928, the home was opened for boys, ages 5-14. This farm home for children was in operation from 1928-45. It closed during WWII due to lack of funding and did not reopen until 1952. Bashor welcomed its first television in 1953 and its first girls in 1977. Presently it has a capacity for 52 youth and yearly provides more than 15,500 days of care to children and families of north central Indiana.