The Home Association, Inc. – formerly the “Old People’s Home Association” – was founded in 1899 when three elderly Jacksonville women traveling in Tampa were stranded and quarantined during a yellow fever scare. Their pleas for help were answered by a generous group of Tampa women who pooled their resources to provide them safe sanctuary. Initially, the founding women named the house “Kadesh Barnea” meaning “place of rest.” Later, it was called “The Old Ladies’ Home” for its mission to care for elderly women. To attract needed funding, it included men in its mission and became the Old People’s Home Association.
Like all organizations that span well over a century, the early years − before 1924 when the present day Home Association was built − were faced with struggles and intrigue, all culminating in the stunningly beautiful Colonial Revival structure that exists today. To read about the history of The Home Association from its humble beginnings as Kadesh Barnea, click below.
“A Home of Love and Mercy: The Founding of The Home Association of Tampa 1899-1924”
Today, known as The Home Association, the property is home to a not-for-profit 24-hour skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility operated by Senior Care Group. Located on its original site in Ybor Heights at 1203 East 22nd Avenue in Tampa, the building has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places.