Celebrating 65 Years of Frasier
On January 21, 2026, the Frasier community gathered to celebrate a milestone 65 years in the making: the official opening of Heritage Hall, Frasier’s new permanent history exhibition. The opening reception was filled with warmth, gratitude, and a sense of shared legacy as residents, team members, and community partners came together to honor our decades-long journey that has shaped Frasier into what it is today.
The program opened with remarks from Christie Hinrichs, Frasier President and CEO, who spoke to the significance of Heritage Hall as both a tribute to our past and to those who continue to shape it. Christie honored the residents Bev Carrigan, Sue Beckley, and Penny Lester, whose efforts to research, document, and preserve Frasier’s history through photos and stories were invaluable.
“It’s a celebration of our history, yes,” Christie shared, “but also of the people who made that history worth celebrating.”
Designed as a space to return to again and again, Heritage Hall invites reflection and discovery. Guests were invited to spend time in the new cozy alcove, a thoughtfully designed 1960’s-style reading. Readers will find racks are filled with historical cookbooks, poetry, Frasier annual reports, and decades-worth of our resident news publication The Mirror. It’s a place to slow down, reminisce, and reconnect with moments both familiar and forgotten.
The opening reception was made even more meaningful by the presence of special guests Chris and Leanna Frasier, grandson and granddaughter-in-law of Frasier’s original land donors, Elmer and Mayme Frasier. Guests also had the opportunity to hear from Dorothy Rupert, a current resident who attended Frasier’s groundbreaking in 1958 with her young children—then ages seven and two. Her story served as a powerful reminder of the living connections between Frasier’s earliest days and the community we know today.
Guests then heard from Megan Adams, the Heritage Hall Exhibition Designer, who shared insights into the creative and collaborative process behind the exhibit. She brings expertise from her work as Art in Public Places Program Manager at CU Boulder and a Public Program Assistant at the Longmont Museum. Megan spoke to the strong partnership that shaped Heritage Hall, including close collaboration with Frasier’s Director of Advancement Eve Dreher and Chief Growth Officer Colleen Ryan Mallon, and Gwen Burak and Mary Valdez from the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA).
About Heritage Hall:
The Frasier Heritage Hall history exhibit is the culmination of a vision years in the making. Inspired by Frasier’s 65th anniversary, residents and team members partnered with BMoCA to bring this permanent exhibit to life. The result is a tribute to a remarkable journey of growth, opportunity, and collective purpose.
Frasier’s story began in 1956 with a transformational gift of land from Elmer and Mayme Frasier. When Frasier opened in 1960, it marked the beginning of a faith-based nonprofit organization that grew alongside the Boulder community and became a cornerstone of senior living in the region.
Over the decades, Frasier experienced pivotal moments of expansion, renewal, and resilience. Heritage Hall traces the physical transformation of our 20-acre campus while also capturing the lived experiences, milestones, and moments, both joyful and challenging, that shaped life at Frasier.
More than a timeline, the exhibit invites visitors to reminisce and reflect on what has changed and endured: a deep sense of purpose, care, and community that is woven into the fabric of Boulder itself. Every detail honors the people who helped make Frasier into what it is today.
Looking ahead, Heritage Hall stands as both a tribute and a touchstone, carrying forward Frasier’s legacy and deep commitment to build community that inspires and celebrates life.
Looking Back at Frasier:
1950’s: Driven by a desire for greater independence, seniors in the mid-twentieth century shifted from multigenerational households to independent living, a trend supported by United Methodist Churches. Frasier’s story began with a gift of land in 1956.
1960’s: Frasier opened its doors, and throughout the decade, became part of Boulder’s broader social and cultural fabric. As its footprint grew through new construction, so did the amenities and offerings that fostered the engaged, active community that have defined Frasier since its earliest days.
1970’s: New federal standards reshaped how nursing homes operated, requiring administrators to be qualified and licensed. Frasier moved quickly to evolve and began adapting its campus, services, and care approaches to meet the increasingly diverse assistance and health needs of current and future residents.
1980’s: The late 1980s were a turning point in Frasier’s story. Landmark federal legislation was passed, setting a national minimum standard of care for nursing homes. In addition, after years of being managed by Rocky Mountain Methodist Homes, Frasier began charting its own course, embracing independent management.
1990’s: As market demand changed, Frasier prepared for the future by upgrading facilities while maintaining high levels of service for residents. The decade was marked by conceptual studies, long-range strategic planning, and major renovation and construction projects.
2000’s: Frasier entered a period of renewal, expanding the campus and introducing new wellness, cultural, and lifestyle amenities. As healthcare evolved, Frasier adapted, strengthened its community reputation, and supported thousands of resident volunteer hours.
2010’s: This pivotal decade began with a golden anniversary, marking half a century of service. Frasier advanced senior care, upgraded amenities, technology, and recovered from an historic flood. These achievements strengthened its reputation as a resilient and dynamic senior living community.
2020’s: At the start of this decade, amid the challenges of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Frasier showed resilience and creativity, adapting daily life and programs to keep residents safe. As the pandemic subsided, focus returned to forward progress, with campus growth, new partnerships, community initiatives, enhanced gardens, and the celebration of 65 years of inspiring, compassionate senior living.
