Taylor House Open House Celebrates a Century of Care and a Fresh New Chapter
Residents, team members and guests gathered this morning at Taylor House to celebrate both where this special place has been and where it is headed next.
The open house offered a chance to step inside one of ThriveMore’s most historic communities and experience the updates that are helping carry it forward. It was a moment to reflect on the role Taylor House has played in the Albemarle community for generations.
Taylor House first opened as an assisted living community in 1953 as part of ThriveMore when it was called Baptist Retirement Homes, though the building itself dates back even further. Originally built in 1926 as Yadkin Hospital, it has been a place of care for nearly a century, adapting over time to meet the needs of the community it serves.
That long history was part of what made today’s celebration especially meaningful.
Honoring the past while investing in the future
The open house highlighted renovations that began in 2025, part of ThriveMore’s ongoing commitment to investing in each of its communities.
Guests were able to see updates to the building’s shared spaces along with one of the most important improvements — a newly added elevator that makes it easier for residents and team members to move between all three floors. The project also included a new stairwell and a carefully designed addition to support the updated layout, all while keeping the building’s character intact.
Resident Reba Bryan said those changes have already made a difference in daily life.
“A lot of it is new, and we’re enjoying it,” she said at the open house. “We’re getting a little makeover, not major but some things are being updated.”
For her, the updates are another layer added to what already makes Taylor House special.
“We have a good group here,” she said. “Good people, and they take good care of us.”
With room for about 28 residents, Taylor House has long been known for its close-knit feel, where relationships develop easily and community comes naturally.
A place that feels like home
For some residents, the connection to Taylor House runs even deeper.
Susan Snotherly’s history with the building spans generations. She was born there when it was still a county hospital, and later, her mother worked at the assisted living in the 1950s.
Standing in the renovated space during the open house, she reflected on what the updates mean.
“Everything is beautiful,” she said. “The paintings and all that are real nice. It just makes it feel like you’re at home.”
That sense of comfort and belonging is at the heart of what ThriveMore aims to create across all its communities.
Part of a larger mission
Today, Taylor House is one of several ThriveMore communities across North Carolina, including Taylor Glen in Concord, Brookridge in Winston-Salem, and Ardenwoods in Arden.
While each campus has its own character, they are all connected by a shared purpose — to support older adults with dignity, compassion and a strong sense of community.
As a nonprofit organization, ThriveMore also works to ensure that care is accessible. Through the Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation, need-based subsidies are available for some residents at Taylor House, helping make quality care possible for more individuals and families.
Looking ahead
The open house was a celebration, but it was also a reminder that places like Taylor House continue to evolve because of the people who call them home.
From its beginnings as a small community hospital to its role today as a warm, supportive assisted living campus, Taylor House has always been rooted in care.
Now, with thoughtful updates and a renewed investment in its future, it is ready for its next chapter.