The Christenson House was located at 720 Washington Street. The five story brick building was the work of careful planning. The building was a result of the work of many individuals who saw the population of Lawrence County aging, but with few options. Dr. Paul J. Christenson, the former pastor of the First Baptist Church, was one of the proponents of public housing. Because of his actions, the Christenson House was named in his honor.
The senior citizen building included sixty housing units. The house was open to elderly people over the age of 62 and families with low income. Rent would be based upon each individual’s income.
On June 22, 1966, the Christenson House was dedicated. The building had many new amenities such as being fire proof, a recreation space, non-skid tile flooring, ramps instead of stairs, special signals for emergency and sick use, elevators, and a contemplation pool.
