King's Daughters Union records

The King’s Daughters Union was founded in 1891 by a group of charitable women from Bangor’s 14 churches. The Union opened a Christian boarding home for women in downtown Bangor called the King’s Daughters Home. The goal of its founders was “to promote the temporal, moral, and intellectual welfare of girls and women.” In early years, the King's Daughters Home sheltered unhoused women while providing training in practical skills. As time went on, many residents came to live there while pursuing education or starting a career. The King's Daughters Home served for 131 years as a “stepping stone” for young women in a Christian environment until the house was sold in 2022.

In addition to the King's Daughters Home, women from Bangor’s churches founded separate circles of the International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons: the Charity Circle (1887), Dorcas Circle (1890), and Bethany Circle (1891). These circles focused on raising money to help local people in need, as well as providing social opportunities for the members. They provided services to the community until the late 1980s.