In 1977 a Dartmouth Medical School (now The Geisel School of Medicine) Ethics Forum committee determined that the distances many patients had to travel to receive treatment at area medical centers, in combination with the limited availability of affordable lodging options, was causing unnecessary hardship for patients and their caregivers. While some patients and family members had to manage the stress caused by traveling to and from the area for multiple-day treatments, others opted to sleep in their cars. Neither solution was optimal. 

To address this urgent need, community members joined together to raise enough money to rent a house in Hanover temporarily, and on November 27, 1978, the Upper Valley Hostel, or 'the Hostel' as it was known, welcomed its first guest. Less than two years later, through the support of a dedicated group of community members, the property at 17 South Street was purchased as a permanent home.​

Thirty-five years later in 2015, the Hostel underwent a significant renovation to address safety and accessibility needs of the 100+ year old house. At the same time, the Board of Directors recognized that the name 'Hostel' did not accurately portray what the organization offered. In 2016 the Upper Valley Hostel was renamed the Maynard House, in honor of Mary Maynard Hitchcock, whose love and commitment to the Upper Valley community and all those in need remains an inspiration to many today.