08/28/2026
❤️ This Month’s Buckeye Valley History: The Story of Grace Thompson
Each month at the Buckeye Valley Museum, we dig into the pages of the old Buckeye Valley News to uncover stories of the people, places, and events that helped shape our community. This month’s story is about a remarkable Buckeye woman whose name still lives on in the memories of local families: Grace Thompson.
Grace’s story is especially interesting because this month we were able to bring together several pieces of her history. Along with accounts from the Buckeye Valley News, we found a letter written by Grace’s granddaughter, preserved through the Three Rivers Historical Society. Her family’s recollections help fill in the gaps and give us a more personal look at the woman behind Thompson’s Maternity Home.
Born in Texas, Grace had already delivered a few babies before coming to Buckeye. She began working at a local sewing factory, where Dr. Ward came looking for a woman to assist in his office. Grace was chosen, beginning a career that would eventually make her known as the “Mother of Buckeye.”
We hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this month’s article and discover more about Grace Thompson, the little maternity home that became such an important part of Buckeye, and the woman who quietly helped shape generations of our community.
And if you or someone in your family was born at Thompson’s Maternity Home, we would love to hear your story. Your memories are part of Buckeye’s history, too. ❤️
Bringing Our Past to Life by Preserving Our Local History
