The records of Hayes Manor span from 1827 to 1994, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1870s to the 1980s. The items from before the home's founding are mostly estate papers from those who bequeathed funds to the home. The collection primarily consists of board reports and minutes; administrative correspondence; resident applications; financial books and papers; and numerous pamphlets, booklets, flyers clippings, and photographs. Those researching the history of retirement homes in Philadelphia should find this collection quite useful. As well, the resident register and applications are significant genealogical resources. The collection was found to be in very rough chronological order, with a few sections, such as resident applications, being arranged alphabetically. This order has been maintained. All photographs, however, have been placed into a separate series. The collection is arranged into four series, the first of which (Administrative) is further divided into four subseries. The first subseries (Correspondence) consists of incoming and outgoing letters that pertain to the home's daily operations. They include inquiries from prospective residents or their family members, letters between board members, updates sent to residents' families, and details regarding various business transactions (such as food and supply orders). There is also one volume in this subseries: a letterpress book dating from 1910 to 1916. The second subseries (History) contains a variety of records that shed light on the home's history and place in Philadelphia as a once unique institution. Among the materials are anniversary booklets; papers pertaining to the Bala Golf Club, which bought land from the home in the 1940s; by-laws; clippings; inventories; name change documents; and building renovation papers. The third subseries (Minutes) consists solely of board minutes (either loose or in volumes) dating from 1858 to 1965. In the final subseries (Residents), researchers will find alphabetically arranged admission applications from 1910 to 1949, as well as a myriad of other documents such as estate records, wills, marriage certificates, discharge papers, and immigration and naturalization papers. The second series (Financial) presents researchers with an overview of the home's finances from the 1860s to the 1960s, though a few items date to the 1980s. In addition to scattered bills, receipts, general statements, and expense/asset reports, this series also contains annual reports, a small amount of financial correspondence, stocks and bonds, insurance, and mortgage papers. This series also contains several volumes, most of which are cash books. The third series (Images and artifacts) contains numerous photographs dating from about 1900 to the early 1990s of residents, staff, and the home's buildings and property. There is also a box of artifacts, mostly old tools, that were found in the collection.
