St. John’s Lutheran Home for Children had its origin in Buffalo during the Civil War. The first home was on the church’s property which was located on what was known as Hickory Street, which is South of Broadway, but now considered 6540 Main Street in Williamsville. The orphanage became overwhelmed with orphans and people in need. To relieve the congested conditions on Hickory Street the congregation purchased 20 acres of land on the West side of what is now called Harlem Road, South of Buffalo Creek in West Seneca in the year 1868. This land was previously a health resort called Sulpher Springs, which contained many springs and a hotel to appropriately house patrons. The St. John’s home in West Seneca came to be known as the Sulpher Springs Orphan Home.
The Hickory Street home was strictly for the girls and the boys were swiftly moved to the Springs where they occupied the old hotel until February 23, 1876. That night in the dead of winter 34 boys were chased out of the building by a fire; the building was destroyed by the fire. They arranged quarters for the older boys in an old chapel nearby and the younger boys were temporarily placed at the girls home on Hickory Street which had been renovated a few years prior
The cornerstone for the new building on Mineral Springs was laid on July 16th 1876 and the dedication of the construction took place on August 15th 1876. The home’s rebuilding cost up to $38,750.00, with the church taking on the cost of the rebuild alone. In the year 1897, the church’s constitution was amended to create a larger board of trustees including a representative from every Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buffalo; which was at that time involved in the New York Ministerium. This amendment allowed for the congregations within and around Buffalo to help tackle the cost of the rebuild. That same year a ladies’ auxiliary was formed and the cornerstone of the new wing at Sulpher Springs was laid. The new wing cost $40,000.00 and was dedicated on the day of Pentecost in 1898. This united the boys and girls into one home. They continued improving the property and organization by erecting additional buildings which included a small hospital in the year 1908. The modernization of old departments and organizing building funds drives developed and strengthened in the Congregation with the passage of time.

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