In 1902, Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) was founded as the “Lutheran Social Mission Society of Philadelphia,” a special urban ministry of the Lutheran Church in southeastern Pennsylvania. Lutheran Settlement House has, since its inception, served vulnerable children, adults, families, and senior citizens living in inner city Philadelphia, regardless of race, gender, income, or religious or political affiliation.

Early in the 20th century, the Kensington neighborhood was considered one of the great industrial districts in America. This section of Philadelphia was crowded with mills, factories, breweries and machine shops. As a result, this area of the city also became the first stop for thousands of immigrants who used their trades from the old country to make a new life in America. As part of the evolution of the settlement movement in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lutheran Settlement House has maintained a physical presence in its lower Kensington neighborhood since the turn of the century. LSH found its permanent location at 1340 Frankford Avenue with the purchase of this property in 1911.

Lutheran Settlement House provides a remarkable witness to the rich history of immigration in the United States, the ebb tide of the industrial revolution, the role of the church in society, and the multifcultural face of Philadelphia. LSH continues to address the complex needs of children, adults, and families struggling to survive in some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city.