Pioneering Reformer Helped Immigrants Thrive in New York

Mary Simkhovitch founded Greenwich House, a settlement house that provided vital services to newcomers in the early 20th century.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new biography of Mary Simkhovitch, a pioneering social reformer in the early 20th century, sheds light on the settlement house movement and the efforts of well-off Americans to assist immigrants adjusting to life in the United States. Simkhovitch founded Greenwich House in New York City, which provided a range of services including a kindergarten, bank, clubs, and classes to help newcomers thrive.

Why it matters

The settlement house movement represented an important chapter in American history, as privileged individuals sought to directly engage with and support immigrant communities during a period of mass migration. Simkhovitch's work at Greenwich House highlights how these reformers aimed to ease the transition for newcomers and foster their integration into American society.

The details

Simkhovitch, a New Englander with a 'Boston Brahmin' background, married a Russian Jew and was drawn to the settlement house movement. In 1902, she founded Greenwich House in New York, relying entirely on philanthropic support to offer a kindergarten, bank, clubs, classes in English and other subjects, and recreational activities for neighborhood residents, especially young boys.

  • Simkhovitch founded Greenwich House in 1902.
  • The settlement house movement was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during a period of mass immigration to the United States.

The players

Mary Simkhovitch

A New England-born social reformer who founded Greenwich House, a settlement house in New York City, in 1902 to assist immigrant communities.

Jane Addams

A prominent social worker and leader of the settlement house movement, who founded Hull House in Chicago.

Lillian Wald

A nurse and social worker who founded the Henry Street Settlement in New York City, which dispatched visiting nurses to immigrant communities.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Greenwich House started a kindergarten, a Penny Provident Bank, several boys' clubs, a small circulating library for children, classes in English . . . and dancing.”

— Betty Boyd Caroli, Historian (The Wall Street Journal)

The takeaway

The settlement house movement represented a unique effort by privileged Americans to directly engage with and support immigrant communities during a period of mass migration, providing vital services and opportunities to help newcomers adjust to life in the United States.