Wesbury United Methodist Community, Meadville, PA

Then

The organization that eventually became Wesbury began in Conneautville, a town located in the far northwest corner of Pennsylvania. Hyatt M. Cribbs offered his home to the ministers and layman of the Erie Conference of the United Methodist Church to become a home for those in need. The original building was large enough to accommodate 12 elderly Christian residents. In October 1918, the Ida M. Cribbs Methodist Home was officially born out of that initial gift which included 22.5 acres of farmland.

Throughout Wesbury’s first decade, the home grew to include more than 100 acres and three residential settings. In time, the home re-settled in Meadville, a historic city situated near the banks of French Creek and home to Allegheny College. The Erie Conference had persuading a local Meadville resident to donate 16 acres of land on the north end of town known as “Green Acres.” With the support of the Western Pennsylvania Conference, the community eventually constructed a nursing facility and changed its name to the United Methodist Home and Nursing Hospital of Meadville.

Now

Today, Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community is a thriving continuing care retirement community built on a history of high-quality programs, services and facilities which have served the region for nearly 100 years. As a not-for-profit corporation, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Wesbury continues its commitment to helping older adults maintain their independence, dignity and spiritual wholeness.

Its 110-acre campus now includes the full continuum of aging services including independent living, personal care, skilled nursing care, memory care and short-term rehabilitation. Its home care agency, “Help at Home with Wesbury,” provides in-home services to Wesbury residents and seniors living throughout the region.

Over time, Wesbury has developed solid partnerships with area agencies like Active Aging, Inc. and they are a founding partner of VNA-Alliance with St. Paul’s Homes, Concordia Lutheran Ministries, and Meadville Medical Center. Wesbury also maintains strong relationships with area businesses and educational institutions like Allegheny College, Edinboro University, and the Crawford Central School District. Staying consistent with its original Christian mission, The Wesbury Foundation provides well over a million dollars in charitable and unsubsidized care annually.

Wesbury, an EAGLE-accredited community, continues to focus on its core values of ministry, commitment, health, community, quality, respect and stewardship. 

Interested in contributing to our Heritage Series? Please contact, Ginny Smith at gsmith@ouruma.org.
Articles were compiled and edited by Bruce Rosenthal, consultant writer.