Picture Tuesday - You Did This!

Every Tuesday, Hope Cottage shares pictures from its archives.  On Thursday (June 23rd) Hope Cottage turns 93.  Let's take a walk down Memory Lane.

Hope Watson (later Rohr) was one of the first babies placed at Hope Cottage.  She came to us after we had only been open two weeks.  Both her mother and aunt died in the 1918 Influenza epidemic when she was only two weeks old.  Hope was named after Hope Cottage and for the hope that she would live.  Hope Watson Rohr passed away in October 2010.  One of the highlights of her life was returning to Hope Cottage in the late 80's for one of our reunion events.

The House the Community Built.  Site of the present day Scottish Rite Hospital playground, this was Hope Cottage from 1922 - 1978.  Ladies of Dallas visited Hope Cottage in our little home in The Cedars and were aghast at the lack of amenities (screens on the windows, not enough room).  As women will do, once they see a need, they set out to provide solutions.  They cajoled and probably badgered their husbands into raising $50,000 to build Hope Cottage a new house.   This was the result.  A fine Georgian home for our babies. 

Founder Emma Wylie Ballard used to drive around town in a car just like this one, except hers had a stork on the front.  She would pick up abandoned babies and solicit donations.  Everyone could hear her coming and knew exactly why she was there.  Hope Cottage didn't charge adoption fees until the 1950's, so we truly relied on the community and Community Chest to provide support.



Thousands of  children have come and gone through the front doors of Hope Cottage.  When all the beds were full, we would hang up a sign that said "No More Babies Taken".  Once a little tot was adopted, and a bed freed up, down would come the sign. 

We no longer live on Welborn Street and we no longer house babies in our offices (how would we ever get anything done because you know Hope Babies are the brightest, the cutest, the smartest babies on the face of the earth), but our commitment to providing the best homes for these wonderful children has never wavered.  We could not have stayed "in business" for 93 years without Dallas and her caring, loving citizens.  From all our Hope Babies, near and far - thank you for helping us celebrate our birthday.  Being 93 never felt so good!



Hope Babies from 1927-2011



Hope Cottage is the oldest nonprofit, non sectarian adoption agency in Dallas. Since 1918 Hope Cottage has been building and nurturing strong families through counseling, education and adoption services.

If you have questions about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 214.526.8721.

If you are a woman facing an unwanted pregnancy and would like to talk to someone about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 1.800.944.4464 or 214.404.4546.