The Evangelical Lutheran Charities Society of Charleston first founded Franke at Seaside in 1892 on Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston. In 1908, the Evangelical Lutheran Charities Society, now known as Lutheran Homes of South Carolina, purchased and renovated the Adger family home with a mission to provide older adults within the area with a safe place to receive care throughout their life. The Adger family home would begin receiving its first guests under the name Jacob Washington Franke Home.
In 1996, the Franke Home moved to a 42-acre tract within the Seaside Farms development in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It initially consisted of independent living rental apartments, assisted living accommodations, and memory care residences. To meet the exceeding demand, Franke Home expanded to include the Keil Health Care Center which provides skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.
In 2002, the local advisory board voted to change Franke Home to Franke at Seaside, a better reflection of the vibrant community that remains near South Carolina’s barrier islands and beaches. It also represents the Lutheran Homes commitment to the growing demographic of active, 21st-century retirees.
Later that year, Franke at Seaside broke ground on the state-of-the-art Active Lifestyle Community, an independent living neighborhood of patio homes and apartments anchored by the 24,000 sq. ft. Burges Center—the focal point for entertainment, dining, and comprehensive wellness programs.