Twelveacres was established in September, 1932, as Our Children's Home, a facility to meet the temporary needs of Christian Science children from broken homes. Ten years later, having outgrown three homes in San Francisco, the organization moved a short distance to Los Altos. This new residence, with 21 rooms, was situated on 12 acres of land. Thus was born the new name: Twelveacres.

In 1968, the Los Altos facility closed, and a new Twelveacres opened on a beautiful hillside campus in east San Jose. At this time, Twelveacres opened its doors to individuals relying on Christian Science healing for developmental disabilities. In 1993, the San Andreas Regional Center, the agency regulating Twelveacres and more than fifty other care providers for the developmentally disabled, presented Twelveacres with the annual OUTSTANDING CARE PROVIDER AWARD. The Center's administrators acknowledged Twelveacres' success in establishing a drug-free, non-medical model, providing care that far exceeds the accepted standard of excellence.

In 1995, to provide residents with more opportunities for independent living and community involvement, and a more home-like atmosphere, Twelveacres moved off the hill and into homes in the Silicon Valley area.