From "A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of La Porte County, Indiana”, Rev. E.D. Daniels, 1904: One of the most useful institutions of the county is the Ruth C. Sabin Home for elderly ladies, situated on the southern outskirts of the city of La Porte, on Michigan Avenue. This institution was en­dowed by Mrs. Ruth C. Sabin, who contributed $58,000 to establish it. The home was opened in the fall of 1889 and has been in operation since that time. It has accommodations for twenty-two inmates... The home is built of brick, in a very thorough and substantial manner. It has elegant large high-posted rooms, spacious hallways and staircases and is heated by steam and kept at a pleasant temperature. It is cool in the summer and warm in the winter; an inmate of the home need not be sensible of the changes of tempera­ture without. The dining hall is large, well lighted and cheerful. The food is abundant, of the best quality, properly cooked, well served, and all the culinary arrangements are conven­ient, sanitary and kept scrupulously clean and neat. The best of medical attendance is pro­vided. The home has modern conveniences and protection from fire. An atmosphere of com­fort pervades the entire institution. A piano is in the upper reception room. In the winter, plants grow and bloom in the spacious halls, and creeping vines hang in festoons down the central court. In the summer, flowers bloom and the lawn is green out of doors. Religious services are held at stated times in the great hallway, which are supervised by a committee of La Porte ladies appointed for the purpose; and as the dif­ferent ministers of the city all respond cordially when called upon to officiate in those services, each inmate of the home is very likely occasion­ally to have the services of her own church... ... Any elderly lady of good moral character and habits, who is ac­cepted by the board of management, can become an inmate of the home for the rest of her natural life, by the payment of $500 at the time of her entrance and nothing afterwards. This amount however, does not cover the expense of caring for her. It is necessary to put $2,500 with it... But there are some who have not paid this amount. They are in every way worthy and nice people, deserving and needing the home and desirable for the home, and they have been received. As instances of this there are seven who all together did not pay over $400. A few special cases have been taken for nothing. How is this? How can the home be sustained at this rate? Very easily; and this is what has made the home a success. From the beginning it has been the policy of the manage­ment to make the home of such a high character and so desirable that wealthy people would seek to became inmates and put their money into it. In several instances this has been the case. Even Mrs. Sabin herself, who made the original be­quest, at first retained her own residence but finally gave it to Wabash College and went to the home and passed her days there... ----- Previous Photo: ----------- * RangeRiderRichard's Photo Albums