Versailles, Ky. – Frontier Nursing University (FNU) announced today that it has offered to donate the historic home of Mary Breckinridge and surrounding properties to Leslie County Betterment, Inc.. In September of 2020, Leslie County Betterment, Inc. along with the Leslie County Community Foundation contacted FNU to request the donation of “the entire Wendover location (Big House, Garden House, Barn, Livery, Cottage, and Guard Shack) to Leslie County Betterment, Inc” with the goal to “utilize the facility for the betterment of Leslie County and its people…”
The proposed gift includes all land and buildings at what is now the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center, the value of which is estimated at nearly two million dollars. The property was the home of Mary Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service. The decision to make the offer was made by the FNU Board of Directors at its meeting on April 29, 2021. The centerpiece of the property, the “Big House” was built in 1925 and is a National Historic Landmark. More information regarding the property can be found at wendoverbb.com.
“Wendover has been part of Frontier Nursing since our founding,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “Its incredible historical significance is perhaps only outshined by the many wonderful memories our students, faculty, and staff have made there. While we are sad to say goodbye to Wendover, we are very proud to be able to offer this gift to the people of Leslie County. We hope that it serves them well and that many more fond memories are made there.”
FNU is finalizing construction on its new campus in Versailles, Kentucky. The land, which was purchased in 2017, was the former home of The United Methodist Children’s Home. The new 217-acre campus maintains FNU’s presence in a rural county while providing more space to serve FNU’s more than 2,500 students.
About Frontier Nursing University:
The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.
Media inquires can go to: Angela Bailey, Chief Advancement Officer, angela.bailey@frontier.edu
