About
The Pleasant View Story
The story of the founding of Pleasant View began years before the doors opened to residents on June 6, 1955. Edna Hoffer was a child of 8 when her father died, leaving her and her mother in financial peril. It was a friend, Phares Bomberger, who stepped in and purchased the homestead for Edna and her mother. Phares Bomberger’s act of kindness, compassion and generosity left a lasting impression on Edna.
Years later, Edna and her friend Grace Barto found themselves in somewhat similar personal circumstances – single women of strong faith working to provide for themselves and an elderly parent. Grace had another friend, Esther Henry, who worked at a nearby rest home and was also the caregiver for an aging parent. These three women began planning together to establish Pleasant View Rest Home.
Land was purchased across from the Hoffer farm in Manheim and construction on their nursing home began in 1954. Esther Henry stepped in to run the facility. Edna and Grace worked the farm to provide for ongoing operations.
Over time, government regulations and requirements for the industry grew. Faced with the possibility of closing, the founders chose to become a non-profit organization in 1972, recruiting volunteers to serve on a Board of Directors.
A New Vision for Pleasant View
New leadership began renovations and new construction. More expansion occurred in 1982 and continued through the 1990s, adding personal care, apartments, cottages, special units for residents with dementia, and a core building. In 1993, Pleasant View attained new status as a continuing care retirement community, now named Pleasant View Retirement Community. Pleasant View became home for approximately 400 residents. In 2012, the J. Calvin Wenger Health and Wellness Center was completed and dedicated.
A new vision for Pleasant View began to develop in 2016 as the organization embarked on the Strategic Planning process. Approved by the Board of Directors in 2017, the plan focused on three priorities: creating enhanced impact, experience, and purpose; serving as the heart of the community; and influencing through innovation and technology. The newly-worded mission statement, adopted in 2017, guides our continued strategic growth: “We aspire to provide healthy, vibrant living – full of joy, meaning and purpose – through passionate, Christ-like service.” Looking toward new initiatives, the organization rebranded in 2019 and is now known as Pleasant View Communities.
Two open-concept apartment buildings known as West Lawn opened in 2022. In 2024, The Lofts at Lititz Springs, a 55-plus rental apartment building offering thirty-two apartments, was introduced to nearby Lititz. These apartments are managed by Boyd/Wilson as a market-rate rental option and are not a part of the Pleasant View life plan community continuum. In the fall of 2024, Pleasant View broke ground on the Hershey Farm Cottages, which will provide eighty-six additional residential living homes.
In 2025, the Kreider Farms Cultural Center at Hoffer Farm will open with space for large events and as the home of the Manheim Community Library. Pleasant View hired a Farm Manager in 2024 to expand our Hoffer Farm agricultural endeavors. We continue to develop partnerships with community organizations, schools, and local nonprofit service providers.
Regardless of the many name, facility, and service changes over the years, it is important to note that what began as the result of the caring, hard work, and the ministry of three women continues today.
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There’s a feeling that’s impossible to describe, but you know it as soon as you walk onto our campus. Visit us to get a real sense of how Pleasant View will add to your life.