The Joseph S. Kemp mansion at 6602 South Alaska Street was remodeled in 1939 to house the St. Ann's Home (orphanage.) The original St. Ann's Home was founded in July of 1917 at South 13th and M St. At first, it provided daycare for the children of St. Leo's Parish. In 1920, the diocese looked into the plight of children orphaned or with families unable to care for them. They purchased the Byrd home in Fern Hill and opened an orphanage. In the fall of 1938, a fire struck the home and another location was needed. The estate of the late Joseph S. Kemp, overlooking Wapato Lake, was purchased. The home had originally been built in the 1880's. A three story brick building was also constructed on the grounds. Thirty years later in 1968, the brick building was declared unsafe. The mansion itself had been ruled to be unsuitable for children years before. The fixtures and furniture of the Victorian mansion were sold before the building was razed in 1971 and replaced with modern structures. (TNT 7/27/1975, pg. A-11)

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma;

New three brick dormitory building of St. Ann's Orphan's Home under construction. In October of 1938, the Sisters of St. Francis purchased the J.S. Kemp estate at 6602 So. Alaska, overlooking Wapato Lake. They began to remodel the mansion to serve its new purpose as an orphanage. In addition, they constructed a new fireproof brick dormitory. In 1939, the social practice was changing from long term institutional care for orphans to a "receiving station" model. St. Ann's would offer short, intensive care while new foster homes were located for the children. Thirty years later, in 1968, the brick building was declared unsafe. A campaign was undertaken to raise $300,000 for a new facility. In 1971, both the original mansion and the dormitory were razed and replaced with modern structures. (T. Times 5/2/1939, pg. 2)

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma;

St. Ann's Home, Community Chest, Bob Lynd. Boys and girls run through the sprinklers on the lawn at St. Ann's in this photograph from July of 1947. A variety of trees are interspersed around the lawn area and the home with spires can be seen over the tops of the trees. A series of photographs of St. Ann's Home (6602 So. Alaska) and the White Shield Home (5210 So. State St.) were taken on July 15th on behalf of the Community Chest, possibly in preparation for its annual funds drive.

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sprinklers; Lawns--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Officials of the Tacoma Community Chest are launching a vigorous drive to put the 1947 campaign over the top by Thanksgiving day. Typical of the many agencies which benefit form the Community Chest is St. Ann's Home, a Sisters of St. Francis Catholic home for children. A group of the children living at the home are shown here, giving thanks before dinner is served in the dining room. The Community Chest drive set its goal at $340,000 and is only $8,800 away from reaching that goal as Thanksgiving Day nears. (T.N.T., 11/24/47, p. 1).

Children praying--Tacoma; Nuns--Tacoma; Orphanages--Tacoma; Orphans--Tacoma; Children eating & drinking--Tacoma; St. Ann's Home (Tacoma);

Exterior of St. Ann's home. Queen Anne style Victorian house with two round towers, porte cochere and full covered porch, located in a grove of trees. St. Ann's was an orphanage located on the grounds of the former Kemp estate. It was purchased and remodeled as an orphanage in 1939 by the Sisters of St. Francis. The orphanage operated from 1920- 1938 on the grounds of the Byrd estate in Fern Hill at 8040-60 S "J" St. They moved to this home in 1939 and constructed a three story brick addition at the same site. In 1968, the brick building was declared unsafe. The mansion had been ruled unsuitable for children many years before. Both were razed in 1971 to make way for a five building modern complex with cottages for the children. (TNT 7/27/1975, PG. A-11)

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Old St. Ann's Orphan's Home building. Queen Anne style Victorian house with two round towers, porte cochere and full covered porch, located in a grove of trees. The home was built in the 1880's and was formerly part of the estate of Joseph S. Kemp. Purchased by the Sisters of St. Francis and remodeled, it opened as an orphanage in 1939. In 1971, its fixtures and Victorian furniture were sold and the home was razed to make way for modern structures.

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Old St. Ann's Orphan's Home building. Queen Anne style Victorian house with two round towers, porte cochere and full covered porch, located in a grove of trees on extensive grounds overlooking Wapato Lake. The estate was purchased in 1938 by the Sisters of St. Francis from the family of the late J.S. Kemp. The Sisters planned to relocated their orphanage here after a fire at their original location at 8040 So. "J" St. The house, and an additional three story brick structure constructed in 1939, were razed in 1971 after being ruled unsafe.

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Orphanages--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Boy Scouts at St. Ann's Home, Times, A. Shepard. Cub Scouts proudly hold their completed bird houses they each built as part of their work towards earning their next badge. One of the Sisters of St. Ann's is seated with the boys who are all wearing their uniforms with shirts, slacks, hats, neckerchiefs and neckerchief slides. The scouts were needing a scout flag and a United States flag for their ceremonies. (T.Times, 3/6/1949, p.20)

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Cub Scouts (Tacoma); Birdhouses--Tacoma; Nuns--Tacoma;

Boy Scouts at St. Ann's Home, Times, A. Shepard. Cub Scouts proudly hold their completed bird houses they each built as part of their work towards earning their next badge. The boys are attired in a full scout uniform including shirts, slacks, neckerchiefs and neckerchief slides. (T.Times, 3/6/1949, p.20)

St. Ann's Home (Tacoma); Cub Scouts (Tacoma); Birdhouses--Tacoma;