Our Mission & History

A Pioneer Then, A Leader Now

When Holiday Retirement was founded in 1971, it set out to create an independent living lifestyle unlike anything seniors had ever experienced before: cheerful communities filled with friendly, accepting neighbors, attentive staff dedicated to the happiness and well-being of each resident, innovative activities and programs for fun and personal growth, and all the chores and details of daily life taken care of.

The Holiday Difference

There’s just something very special about life at Holiday that makes it unlike any other place on earth. It’s the warm, accepting community of neighbors who feel more like family. It’s the devoted staff who see this as more of a calling than a job, providing unrivaled service, compassion and care. And it’s the unique feeling of being right where you belong, a feeling of being at home. We call it The Holiday Touch, and it’s what makes life at Holiday Retirement so special.

And making Holiday Retirement even more revolutionary is having all of the many benefits available in one affordable, all-inclusive monthly rent. No hidden costs. No long-term commitments. Holiday residents are free to focus on living the life they’ve always wanted. And isn’t that what retirement should be?

Our History

Holiday Retirement was founded by William E. Colson, often recognized as the father of Independent Retirement Living, with his father Hugh Colson in 1971. At the time, William was operating Colson & Colson construction, specializing in building high-level care facilities for seniors – referred to as “nursing homes”. William and his father realized that while seniors were benefiting from the quality care they received in these facilities, they could be benefiting even more from a nurturing, community environment that met seniors’ other needs: social, physical, educational and spiritual, at an affordable, all-inclusive monthly rate. They opened their first independent retirement community in Vancouver, Washington in 1971. Today there are more than 260 Holiday Retirement senior living communities across the United States, and tens of thousands of seniors are enjoying the one-of-a-kind lifestyle only Holiday can provide. Although we have grown in size, we remain true to the core values instilled by William E. Colson, and are as committed now as he was then to improving the lives of seniors.