Founded in 1895, Royal Neighbors of America was the first fraternal benefit society that provided life insurance protection for women.

In 1929 Royal Neighbors passed a resolution to establish a facility that would provide a home for mothers and other women in their organization who were in need of assistance.

They also had to be of "good moral character, free from contagious or infectious disease, unable by reason of age to provide for the necessities of life…"[3] In exchange, residents were assured they would be cared for without further cost for the rest of their lives.

The Royal Neighbors membership decided that providing senior housing was not part of its core mission and they closed the home on October 1, 2004.

[4] The facility was sold to an investment group based in Baltimore, Maryland named Grandview Estates LLC in 2006.

[6] The significance of the historic district is as "a unique example of a retirement home constructed specifically for members of a women's fraternal benefit society.