1831-
County "Poor House"
The first hospital in Central Ohio was Franklin County’s "Poor House" which was mandated by Ohio Legislation on March 8, 1831. The poor house was originally located on a farm at the fork of the Olentangy and Scioto Rivers, three miles from Columbus.In 1839 the Poor House moved to a new facility on the west side of King Avenue, one mile west of High Street. An average of 45 patients were seen annually by 1849.
In 1847, City Hospital was erected on the southeast corner of the Poor House grounds. This hospital served persons infected with contagious diseases. An act of legislature in March 1850 changed the name of all Ohio Poor Houses to "County Infirmaries."
On December 1, 1869, the county commissioners purchased 150 acres on the west side of the Olentangy River, two miles north of the State House, one mile west of High Street for the New County Infirmary. It consisted of a central administrative section and two distinct parts for male and female patients, with a kitchen in the basement, two dining rooms on the second floor, and a chapel on the third floor. The fire proof building was equipped with steam heat and gas lights.
1861- 65
Civil War Hospitals
During the Civil War period, several buildings in Columbus were converted to hospitals for soldiers coming back from the front. Please note their locations on the map:
Camp Chase Hospital (1)Federal Prison for Women, later a military hospital (9)
Military Hospital (10)
Military Hospital (11)
Not indicated on the map were:
Tripler Hospital
St. Francis Hospital
Seminary U.S.A. General Hospital
Hospital for Colored Troops at City Point
1865 -
Starling Medical College St. Francis Hospital
Built in 1847, this Norman Gothic structure was the first combined medical school and hospital in the United States. Initially lacking funding to build the hospital part of the building, Dr. R. L. Howard, a Starling Medical College trustee, provided money to open the "Howard Infirmary." Unfortunately, managing the hospital proved to be overwhelming. The infirmary closed in the 1850’s.Because the Civil War increased the need for medical facilities, local physicians organized a move to bring a group of nuns to the Columbus Community to serve as health care workers in 1861. In February 1865, a 99 year lease was granted to the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis to operate what became known as St. Francis Hospital.
Note: The towers on the structure were added as additional funding was collected.
1886 -
Hawkes
Hospital of Mt. Carmel
This hospital was founded by
D. W. B. Hawkes in 1885. Located at West Street and Davis Avenue,
it was run by Sisters of the Holy Cross under the direction of Dr. J. W.
Hamilton.
The first addition to Mt.
Carmel was made in 1891. An adjoining building was erected in 1906.
A third building was added to the complex in 1921.
The hospital provided clinical
privileges to the Columbus
Medical College (1876-1892).
1891 -
St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Anthony's opened in 1890 under the direction of the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis. The hospital was located at Main Street and Taylor Avenue.
There were accommodations for over 200 patients with no inside rooms.
In 1904 an additional floor was added. In 1839 a 3-story wing increased bed capacity to 270.
In the early days, medical students were admitted to a surgical clinic once a week.
Protestant
Hospital 
Originally located on Park
Street near Buttles Avenue, this hospital consisted of a large five-story
building. It was incorporated March 18, 1891 by the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Because Ohio Medical University (1892-1907) financially supported the hospital, the school was given a perpetual lease for clinical privileges.
Protestant Hospital was renamed White Cross Hospital in 1922; today it is known as Riverside.
1892 -
Children's Hospital
Hospitals for children began to appear in the United States in the late 1800’s. Members of the King's Daughters of St. Paul Episcopal Church initiated the movement to secure a children's hospital in Columbus in 1891.The first Children's Hospital building opened December 30, 1893. The prevailing color scheme was blue and white, carried out in staff uniforms, chinaware, linens, bedding, etc.
Originally Children's Hospital included nine beds. Six more were added almost immediately. The hospital was open to patients between the ages of one and sixteen; no patient could stay longer than three months; and no cases of infectious disease were accepted.
1899 -
Lawrence Hospital
In 1899 Lawrence Hospital opened its doors for the treatment of diseases peculiar to women, "especially cases requiring recourse to surgery." The hospital was located on East Town Street in an old home purchased by Dr. Lawrence. Supported by several business men, the hospital provided charity service to one-third of their clients.
The original Lawrence Hospital closed its doors in 1921 and moved its services to McKinley Hospital located on East Broad Street between Grant and Cleveland Avenues.
1900 -
Grant Hospital
Dr. James F. Baldwin began Grant Hospital in 1900 as a private hospital to serve the growing middle class. Three additions were added to the original building from 1904-1914. In 1904 Grant Hospital was considered the largest private hospital in the world with a bed count of three hundred and three.
1903 -
Mercy Hospital
Mercy Hospital was established
in 1902 by Dr. Theodore Davids, who abandoned the project after a year.
A group of civic minded Columbus women decided to organize the Mercy Hospital
Association and the Hospital re-opened in March of 1904 with one patient,
one nurse and three doctors. The hospital eventually found a permanent
location on South High Street in a 12-room house. Supplies, food
and linen were provided largely through community support. In 1987,
Mercy merged with St. Anthony's Medical Center, but was sold to a group
of five physicians in 1991, who changed the name to 1908
- St. Ann's Hospital
St. Ann's was founded in 1908 as home for infants and unwed mothers. By the 1920’s the hospital had gradually converted to a maternity hospital, as home deliveries became less frequent. In 1950, forty maternity beds and twenty gynecologic beds were available in the remodeled facilities.The original building was located at Bryden Road and Kelton Avenue in Columbus.
1911 -
St.
Clair Hospital
Built in 1911,
this hospital focused on serving Pennsylvania Railroad workers and their
families. The building housed thirty beds and two operating rooms.
Due to industrial changes in Columbus, the hospital was not needed and
closed in 1940.1920 -
Columbus Radium Hospital
Columbus Radium Hospital began in 1920 on the site previously occupied
by Protestant Hospital. Bed capacity was
25 with approximately 6 beds for emergency. In 1938 this hospital
became Doctors.1924 -
Starling-Loving University Hospital (University Hospital)
In 1917, the OSU Board of Trustees announced that the abandoned homeopathy building would be incorporated into a new hospital for the medical school. A modified English Tudor designed addition to the homeopathic building made the hospital operational in 1924. The building was renamed the Starling-Loving University Hospital in honor of Mr. Starling, a remarkable community leader and Dr. Loving, dean of the OSU Medical School (1880-1905).
By 1926, with the addition
of three wings, the hospital housed two hundred and ninety six beds, an
operating amphitheater, laboratories, maternity department and an outpatient
clinic. The main purpose was clinical teaching.
(First University
Hospital building (now Doan Hall)
1940 -
Doctors Hospital
Doctors Hospital became the first osteopathic hospital in Columbus in 1939. It was started by three physicians who practiced this type of medicine. Through the efforts of the Women's Auxiliary in 1941, steam food conveyors were installed, soundproofing added to the first and second floors and the old iron beds replaced.Several buildings were added to the original house from 1944 through the 60’s.
(see photo of Radium Hospital)
Vol.
2 #2