Mother Mary Pacifica Forrestal established the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception in 1891. Caring for the elderly has always been a priority for the Sisters, who opened the first St. Joseph's Home in Peoria in 1892. 

 

Just after the turn of the century, Thomas Brady of Springfield left a bequest of $17,000 to the Diocese of Alton for the establishment of a home for the elderly. Bishop James J. Ryan invited the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception to come to Springfield and open a home for the aging similar to their Peoria home. 

 

The Sisters purchased the Wabash Railroad Hospital, formerly the home of James Cook Conkling, at Sixth and Lawrence Streets, and opened the first St. Joseph's Home of Springfield in 1903. Demand for rooms quickly exceeded available space. In 1908, the sisters purchased the Workman home next door and connected the two buildings. 

 

By 1924, a larger facility again was needed. A 43-acre farm was purchased on what was later Route 66 in Southern View. Construction on the new St. Joseph's Home was completed in 1925. The St. Joseph's Home properties at Sixth and Lawrence were transferred to the diocese to become the site of the new Diocese of Springfield cathedral. 

 

In 1967, St. Joseph's Home was licensed for both sheltered care and intermediate nursing care. The infirmary, or "round building," was built and professional nurses were employed. As the number of residents with dementia increased, the round building was eventually repurposed as a secure residence for the care of persons in danger of wandering. 

 

While the care given in the round building was very good, over several decades the round building itself presented increasing challenges. It had been designed according to a medical model instead of a residential model, and as standards of care evolved, it became unsuitable. In addition, the building was deteriorating and could not be renovated economically. 

 

In 2007, a major fundraising campaign was launched to replace the round building with a more suitable and sustainable residence. With the funds from that campaign, the 28-bed Holy Family Center was built. The Holy Family Center is designed on the neighborhood model, with two households of 14 residents each. It is a safe and secure residence specifically for the comfort of residents with dementia or similar conditions.