Florence Crittenton Anchorage (Chicago, Ill.)

In 1886, Frances Willard and other members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union opened a slum mission called Rehoboth ("there is room") also known as the "Anchorage" where "friendless women" could rest for a few hours, seek advice and comfort, and pray. In 1893, the financially struggling home came to the attention of Charles Crittenton, a New York merchant who had devoted himself to philanthropic works after the death of his four-year-old daughter Florence. Crittenton made a large financial contribution and formally dedicated the home "The Florence Crittenton Anchorage" or (FCA). When its building was condemned in 1943, the home closed. It reopened in 1949 at 2678 W. Washington and remained there until its demise in 1973. Services offered by the FCA changed considerably over the years. At its founding, the home served as a shelter for homeless and destitute women, as well as prostitutes, unmarried pregnant women, and women with children who had been abandoned by husbands and boyfriends. Later, it functioned solely as a maternity home offering shelter and assistance to unwed mothers.