According to the Directory of the Philanthropic Agencies of the City of Pittsburgh, the Curtis Home for Girls was chartered in 1895 by nine Allegheny City women as a temporary, non-sectarian home for destitute women and children.
Girls living in the home were generally between the ages of 4 to 16. Homes were established at three sites in 1895: 2541 Breckenridge Avenue, 1136 Western Avenue (Allegheny City) and 208 South Negley Avenue.
The homes went by several names through the years: Morehead Women's Christian Temperance Union (1895), Curtis Home for Destitute Women and Children and the Curtis Home for Girls (1933).
When the home no longer served its stated purpose in the 1950s, it was closed. The assets were liquidated and a fund was established with The Pittsburgh Foundation.
The fund today is designated for similar work to that of the Curtis Home, supporting programs for unwed mothers and providing a place to live for young working women in the City of Pittsburgh.
Type of Fund
- Field of Interest