The Green Hills Retirement Community grew out of plans to develop 70 acres of land acquired by the ISU Achievement Fund (now the ISU Foundation) at the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and Elwood Drive (now University Boulevard). This land was purchased in the early 1970s as a result of the construction of the U.S. Highway 30 bypass south of the city of Ames, Iowa. Initially, the main focus was to construct a hotel and convention center on the land and it wasn't until 1976 that the idea of a retirement community was suggested.

Based on strong positive response from the community, the ISU Alumni Association created the non-profit organization Green Hills, Ltd. This group, organized in April of 1979, would ultimately fail to develop the 30 acres of land dedicated to the project primarily due to the economic hardships of the early 1980s. By the end of 1984 the group was dissolved.

Interest in the project did not falter however, and a new for-profit organization was created by Ames business leaders and professionals. The new group, Green Hills Company of Ames, Inc., was led by Duane Sandage, real estate developer; Norman Riis, President, and Richard Johnson, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Story Construction Co.; and Dr. William Bliss of McFarland Clinic. This group managed to start construction and by February of 1986 the first residents, Dale and Rose McCay, moved into their town home. On April 7, 1986, the Green Hills Residents' Association (GHRA) was incorporated.

Financial problems arose yet again and the ISU Foundation stepped in to help. Life Care Services was hired to manage the project in December 1987. Construction continued and by 1990 Green Hills consisted of 99 condominiums (40 town homes and 59 apartments) and a 40-bed health care center. During the 1990s, an additional 40 town homes were built and the ISU Foundation entered into an agreement with the Green Hills Resident's Association to transfer and sell the remaining land that was initially dedicated to the development.

The Green Hills Residents' Association (GHRA) is now the sole owner of the development. Each town home or apartment owner is a member of GHRA. The Association acts as the governing body for all town home and apartment owners and provides for the maintenance and administration of the Green Hills Retirement Community. GHRA is also the sole owner of Green Hills Health Care Center, Inc., the corporation that was created in 1999 to operate and manage the Green Hills Health Care Center. In 2010, residents approved plans to expand the facilities, including additions to the health care center, new independent living units, and a "memory care unit" for Alzheimer's patients.

This collection (1978-[ongoing]) contains news clippings, newsletters, financial reports, meeting minutes, and expansion plans for the Green Hills Retirement Community. The records are rather incomplete, though information on the early history can be found in news clippings and two short histories compiled by Carl Hamilton and Warren Madden. The bulk of the collection relates to the planned expansion of the facilities approved in 2010.

This collection is in chronological order.