History of HealthcareMankato
History of Healthcare in Mankato: Before the first doctors arrived in Mankato in 1856, Mankato residents had to rely on their friends and neighbors for assistance if they became sick or injured. These doctors were Drs. Moses R. Wickersham, Dr. William R. McMahon, Dr. William F. Lewis and Dr. Albon G. Dornberg.
In 1888, Mankato’s first hospital was built on Fourth Avenue. The funding of $8,000 for it was donated by Colonel John Tourtellotte and the city operated the hospital for nine years. In 1897 the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother came from Marshfield, WI to take over management of the hospital until it closed in 1903.
St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1899
http://Emuseum.mnsu.edu/history/oldmankato/
181899 1899
History of St. Joseph’s Hospital: The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother wanted to provide better care so they bought the John S. Willard house at North Sixth and Washington Streets, just below the Willard property. This hospital was completed in 1899 and it was called St. Joseph’s Hospital. In 1913, as the need for a bigger hospital was apparent, a two-story building was extended to connect with the Willard wing. The addition provided a chapel, an operating room, a dressing room, and most importantly, more patient beds. In 1937 the Willard house was converted into a home for the sisters. In June of 1926 work was started on a fireproof addition to St. Joseph’s Hospital and the addition was completed on September 8, 1927, and it gave the hospital a 142-bed capacity. Because of the growing need for better healthcare, the sisters bought land on Garden Boulevard in the hilltop area and in 1953 a five-story hospital was completed. Its shape was that of a cross, with all of the wings meeting at the center; a design proved very convenient.
St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1899
http://Emuseum.mnsu.edu/history/oldmankato/
History of the Immanuel Hospital: This hospital was founded by the Immanuel Lutheran Church with the help of sister Mankato area congregations in 1906. The church bought property for $2,500 on North Fourth Street, which had been the site of the Omaha Railroad. This land was returned to the city after the tracks were rerouted along the river. (See old Mankato railroad station link). The hospital was built with stone from the old Tourtellotte Hospital and an annex was added to increase the bed capacity from 30 to 65 in 1912. Originally, Immanuel Hospital had restricted membership to those Lutherans affiliated with the same synod. However, in 1932 it began accepting all Lutherans and in 1951 it became the community hospital. In 1952 the hospital built a new wing and remodeled the olds thanks to a fund drive. When the old Immanuel Lutheran hospital meerged with St. Joseph’s hospital, the former building was converted to the Gus Johnson Apartments on Fourth Street.
Merge of St. Joseph’s and Immanuel Hospitals: Immanuel Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital had a close relationship with one another and shared special services and facilities. An agreement was made to close Immanuel and move it to St. Joseph’s on the hilltop. The merge became official in January 1960 and the new name of the hospital was Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital. In 1987, nine million dollars was put into remodeling and an addition to the hospital and also installation of air conditioning. In 1990 another expansion was completed at the cost was ten million. A cancer treatment center was the main focus of this addition.
Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital at the Present Time: Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital merged with the Mayo Health System in March 1996 and is known today as Immanuel St. Joseph’s regional medial center. This facility has 272 beds and provides healthcare services to a regional population of over 250,000 people. Physicians at the hospital represent 29 specialties and the facility has strong diagnostic capabilities. Immanuel St. Joseph’s provides the following services: Behavioral medicine, cancer center, cardiac rehabilitation, emergency room care, home health services, internal medicine subspecialty services, physical and occupational therapy, primary care, renal dialysis, surgical procedures, and women’s and children’s services.
Natosha Sizer S00 SCTC
References
Internet (www.mayo.edu/mhs/navpos8.html) for information on Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Book, At the Bend in the River, written by Vernard E. Lundin.
Course Text Book, Cities and Urban Life, written by John J. Macionis and Vincent N. Parrillo.