settlement house

/ˌsɛdlmənt haʊz/

Other forms: settlement houses

In the early 20th century, settlement houses were community centers where needy city-dwellers could get support and services. Some settlement houses also provided a place to live.

The settlement houses that opened in the U.S. starting at the end of the 1800s were modeled on East London's Toynbee Hall. That prototype was founded by a minister and housed working-class "settlers" who lived cooperatively with several college students. As the settlement house concept grew in cities like Chicago, these community hubs eventually began to host music classes, sports teams, and daycare centers; and provide space for civic groups, unions, and political organizers.

Definitions of settlement house

1. noun

   a center in an underprivileged area that provides community services
   type of:

   center, centre

   a building dedicated to a particular activity