Unity Settlement House was established in Minneapolis on September 21, 1897, by a group of religiously liberal ministers led by the Rev. Marion Shutter of First Universalist Church. The group called itself the Union for Social Improvement, and at its organizing meeting in Shutter’s study decided to establish Unity House as a “social settlement” in north Minneapolis.
In 1898, just six and a half months after the founding of Unity House, the following accomplishments were reported:
- A kindergarten with full enrollment of 56 children
- A mothers' club (32 attendees)
- A day nursery
- A penny savings program (65 children)
- A library program in cooperation with the
- Public Library (100 children)
- Evening classes (70 students)
- Social evenings with lectures by University of Minnesota professors and others
- A boys' club (115 members)
