This week marks the 49th anniversary of Givens Estates as a continuing care retirement community.

Founded upon property off Sweeten Creek Road held by Mrs. Marion J. and Dr. Maurice H. Givens of Daytona Beach, Florida, who kept the quiet, scenic mountainside acreage as their summer home.

During the final years of Mrs. Givens’ life, she decided to leave her estate in Asheville with the stipulation it would be developed into a retirement community. Diligent efforts by many community leaders, incorporation as a nonprofit and hard work by the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, led to what is known today as Givens Estates.

The Givens’ home, The Manor, today holds offices for a number of Givens Communities team members and remains a monument to their selfless action and commitment to better the future of senior living for years to come.