Call Number:

PA.071

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Extent:

.13 cubic ft. (half box, stored with pa-079)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Friends Home of Concord Quarterly Meeting (The Hickman), PA 71, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.

Date:

1896-1991 (inclusive)

Creator:

Friends' Boarding Home of the Concord Quarterly Meeting

Abstract:

The Hickman is a senior living community located in the heart of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and which is guided by Quaker principles and tradition. This collection depicts the life of those in the Hickman, providing color and black and white photographs of guests, staff, and the boarding home, from 1896 to 1991.

On Oct. 28, 1890, at the Meeting of Women Friends of Concord Quarterly Meeting, "Lydia H. Hall laid before the meeting a concern... in regard to establishing a Home for friends of limited circumstances, where they might have the comforts which they could not have unaided." A Committee met at Race Street Meeting House in 1890, and at another meeting held 2mo. 1891, the name was decided upon and an Executive Committee was chosen. The Friends' Boarding Home of Concord Quarterly Meeting was established in 1891 for women only. The first male guest was admitted in 1894, and over the following decade the admission of men became more frequent.

The Home first was located in rented building. In 1893, the Old Main building was erected, which was followed in 1898 by Lydia Hall. In 1928 Nathaniel G. Hickman bequeathed a sum of money to the West Chester Meeting for the purpose of building a home for the elderly. A building was completed in June 1936 adjacent to the earlier buildings as a memorial to Nathaniel Hickman and his brother, Samuel G. Hickman. The Home has been variously known as the West Chester Friends Home, the Friends' Home in West Chester, and, most recently, The Hickman.

The Home was licensed as a nursing facility and in 1975, the Executive Committee was made aware of this fact and realized that they did not meet the federal and state requirements to operate nursing care facilities. Therefore, a phase-out of the infirmary was planned to take place before October 1976, and the minutes reflect a discussion as to whether the Home should consolidate with the Barclay and Friends Hall or replace its facilities with residential buildings and return its status to residential. As part of the phase-out process, some infirmary guests were transferred to the Friends Hall, a nursing care facility also in West Chester, and a fund was established to offer financial assistance to infirmary guests in order to pay the difference between prices at Friends Hall and the Friends Boarding Home.

This collections consists of 3 folders full of black and white and some color photographs depicting the living situation, guests, staff, and the Hickman building itself. There are some postcards, newspaper clippings, and poetry included in the collection, which dates from 1896 to 1991. Framed photographs were removed from their frames and placed in sleeves.