History – West End Home Foundation

Our history

For more than 130 years, The West End Home Foundation has cared for Nashville’s older adults. Founded to provide dignity and stability to aging women, it has endured through changing times, always grounded in compassion, perseverance, and community.

The Foundation’s history began in 1889, when Nashville leaders—moved by the struggles of widows left destitute after the Civil War—established The Old Woman’s Home. With support from philanthropists like Mr. M.H. Howard and Mrs. James K. Polk, the Home opened its doors and quickly became a place of refuge. Over the years, its facilities expanded, from the Victorian-style home on West End Avenue to modern residences designed to provide safety, comfort, and care.

As times changed, so did the needs of older adults. By the early 2000s, more older adults were living independently or seeking different types of retirement communities. In response, the organization transitioned from operating a residential home to becoming The West End Home Foundation in 2002. The final residents were lovingly supported through their later years, marking the end of an era when Miss Lillian Harley, the last resident, passed away in 2013.

Today, The West End Home Foundation continues its mission in a new way: through grantmaking, advocacy, and community partnerships that enrich the lives of older adults. With older adults now the fastest-growing segment of the population, the Foundation is committed to building a community that values, supports, and engages people of all ages—carrying forward a legacy of care that began more than a century ago.