Good news today, my friends! A local group has opened a beautiful old mansion for families in need of temporary emergency housing.
The house was built in 1903 for Frank and Minnie Hitt. According to our local newspaper, Minnie was the only woman banker in town back then—a true feminist for her time. The house has been used in similar ways to help families in the past, and I’m so happy to see it open its doors again.
The home is being called Promise Ridge, and though it’s technically a “shelter,” it feels anything but shelter-ish. While walking through during an open house, I couldn’t help but think how much kids will love staying in this place.
The big turret on the front makes for a cool round bedroom upstairs, and a skinny staircase leads to a third-floor apartment that’s all odd angles and cozy spaces. The house feels straight out of a storybook.
The goal is for families to stay in the house for about a month, and if each family consisted of a mother and two children, seven families could live there, said Karen Moore, a member of the Promise Ridge board of directors who helped host the open house.
Want to help? Here are some things the house could use.
This is exactly the kind of hand up that families sometimes need to get back on their feet. Another benefit of staying here might be that moms can help each other with childcare while seeking and interviewing for jobs. There’s a big family room and big kitchen with a good-sized backyard too. When women help women, good things happen!
Look at those original doorknobs. I die.
The local St. Vincent de Paul is managing the home as temporary housing, though the First Presbyterian Church owns and is leasing out the house at a much-reduced rate.
For more information, click here. •
Boulevard West 
5 thoughts