History

During Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, just three weeks prior to his assassination, and through a direct reference from the book of James, he challenged the states to bind up the wounds of the nation by meeting the needs of widows and orphans created by the Civil War. Ohio members of the Grand Army of the Republic took up that challenge and in 1869, through a donation of 100 acres by a Xenia farmer, they began the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home.

In 1978, the Home's purpose was changed from its original focus of working with orphans and was broadened to include troubled children. The name was changed to emphasize this redirection to the Ohio Veterans' Children's Home. By this time the Peter Pan building, hospital, and dairy barn were in such a state of disrepair that they were shut down.

In 1992, the General Assembly of Ohio voted to close the Home and began phasing out the facility. By June 1996, with the last graduating class, the Home was officially closed and sold to Greene County.

In 1998, Dayton Christian Schools became interested in the property for the consolidation and expansion of its Xenia Christian campuses. Based upon Greene County's strong desire to maintain the integrity of the site and coupled with Dayton Christian's commitment to its vision of helping children, an offer was made to purchase the entire complex. Legacy Ministries International was created as the umbrella organization to own and operate the facility in December 1998, and the property was officially acquired the following summer.  After an extensive remodeling, the campus school building was occupied by Xenia Christian grades K-12 in August of 1999.  LMI staff and several resident staff families also moved to the campus that year.  Significant expansion of the school and staff ranks has occurred throughout 2000 and 2001, along with the addition of several partner ministries.