The Lyndhurst endowment originates from Lupton family's success in building the Coca-Cola Bottling Company with other Chattanooga businessmen, Ben F. Thomas and Joseph Brown Whitehead.

[3] During the early stages of the Memorial Welfare Foundation, its main focus was to benefit primary health care and cultural activities in and around the city of Chattanooga.

[4] With the death of its founder, Cartter Lupton, the Lyndhurst foundation began to redirect its fundings towards enhancing the Chattanooga community by way of education, art, and the revitalization of the riverfront.

[6] The Lyndhurst Foundation has played a major role in the revitalization process of Chattanooga's downtown and riverfront as a result of the city's decline due to water and air pollution.

[15] Lyndhurst has further focused on economic development in Chattanooga with the creation of the River City Company, a non-profit organization that creates public spaces in the downtown area.