The Douglas County Association for Retarded Children was organized in 1956 by parents of developmentally disabled children in Lawrence, Kansas. The Association became a member unit of the Kansas Association for Retarded Children and the National Association for Retarded Children later that year. The name of the organization was officially changed to the Douglas County Association for Retarded Citizens in 1977 and in 1986 to the Association for Retarded Citizens/Douglas County. In the early 1990s the organization became known as The Arc of Douglas County; the Arc now provides services for Douglas, Jefferson, and Franklin Counties.

The primary purpose of the Association is to promote the general welfare of developmentally disabled persons. The Association sponsored several classes for adults and preschool children from 1956 to 1961. Some of these classes were eventually taken into the Lawrence public schools.

The Bess Stone Activity Center (later called Bess Stone House) was established at 745 Ohio by the Association on Sept. 17, 1962. The Center served mentally handicapped persons as a gathering place for training, instruction and other activities. On July 1, 1972, Cottonwood, Inc., a separate non-profit corporation took charge of the former Bess Stone clients. The Association continued to be involved with Cottonwood, providing funds and professional expertise.

Other services offered by the Association included the Lawrence Early Education Program, People First, and the Special Olympics.