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February 26, 1849: To meet the needs of "orphaned and destitute children," area churches opened the Louisville Presbyterian Orphan's Home Society in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
The legislature of the Commonwealth of Kentucky approved the incorporation of the Louisville Orphan's Home Society under the auspices of Presbyterians in Kentucky. This makes Bellewood the oldest childcare agency in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
June 4, 1853: First children admitted.
1854: Changed name to Louisville Orphan's Home.
1870: Changed name to Louisville Presbyterian Orphan's Asylum.
1875: Moved to Anchorage on the campus of Bellewood Seminary. Exchanged the property in downtown Louisville for campus in Anchorage. The Seminary agreed to take a specified number of Bellewood girls into their educational program. That same year the seminary closed allowing Bellewood to purchase all of the property.
1876: Changed name to Louisville Presbyterian Orphanage.
1961: Changed name to Bellewood.
1972: Incorporated as Bellewood Presbyterian Home for Children, providing care to 37 dependent and neglected boys and girls aged 6 to 17.
1983: Started first services in Western Kentucky.
1988: Bellewood becomes the first agency in Kentucky, and only the 34th in the country to be accredited by the National Association of Homes for Children.
1992: Bellewood Board of Directors decides to construct a new 12 bed facility in Bowling Green.
1993: New Bellewood Center in Bowling Green opens as a combination emergency shelter and treatment facility for boys and includes an on-site school.
1994: Bellewood Board assesses Louisville campus facilities and decides to sell some of its acreage, renovate old buildings, and build new facilities.
1997: On campus school added on Louisville campus.
1998: Bellewood begins Capital Campaign to fund five new treatment cottages and a new administration building on the Louisville campus. Bellewood breaks ground for project in July.
1999: Bellewood celebrates 150 years of service to children and families. Five new treatment cottages and a new administration building are completed on the Louisville campus.
2000: Bellewood opens residential services in Lexington.
2001: The final phase of the capital campaign construction is completed on the Louisville Campus with the renovation of Patterson Hall. Patterson is the new home for the on-campus Bellewood School and a new Independent Living Program.
In December, the Children's Review Program ranks Bellewood's Louisville Campus #1 in Kentucky when compared to similar programs. Bellewood Center in Bowling Green ranked #3 and Bellewood as an agency ranked #2.
2003:The Martha Farr Haynes School & Administration Building in Bowling Green is dedicated. That year Bellewood implements a state of the art therapeutic treatment program. The program implemented in a residential setting, effectively treats the most suffering adolescents.
2004: Bellewood expanded its services to accommodate the increasing numbers of youth aging out of the foster care system or left homeless at age 18 by opening Community Based Services in Louisville and Bowling Green. Bellewood also startes a Mentoring Program in Louisville to help youth learn job skills, finish their education and gain independent living skills.
2005: Community Based Services opened in Lexington and Paducah.
