CHI St. Alexius Health history

With borrowed money, at 7% interest, and without Sisters to staff it, Bishop Wehrle built the original 40-room St Joseph's Hospital in 1911 in Dickinson, North Dakota.

The first patient was admitted on Holy Thursday, April 4, 1912.

The idea for a hospital in Carrington took shape on September 23, 1915, when the Carrington Hospital Association was chartered.

The stockowner's association built the original hospital in 1916, with opening day on November 22, 1916.

In 1921, the Sisters received St Joseph's Hospital as a gift from the Bismarck Diocese.

On September 17, 1936, construction on a second addition began in order to increase the bed capacity to 75 and improve the School of Nursing facilities.

In 1941, the hospital was leased to the Presentation Sisters of the Diocese of Fargo.

Original planning for a hospital in Garrison began in February 1946, through the efforts of the Garrison Civic Club.

Yet another addition began in 1956, which included a second increase in the number of beds, plus modernization of the ancillary facilities.

The Presentation Sisters then built a 38 bed skilled and intermediate nursing facility which opened May 25, 1964.

Ownership of this building was transferred to the Presentation Sisters in the mid 1970’s.

In 1980, the Sisters joined with Catholic Health Corporation of Omaha.

In 1981, the radiology department was expanded to accommodate the nuclear medicine and ultrasound department.

In January of 1987, Community Memorial Hospital in Turtle Lake, became affiliated with St Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck.

With many changes occurring in health care, Mercy broke ground for a new 35-bed acute-care wing on August 13, 1992.

In June of 1993, Foster County Medical Center was merged with Carrington Health Center and the Long Term Care unit.

In 1996, in order to preserve their health care facility, the Presentation Sisters then helped form Catholic Health Initiatives, a nonprofit, faith-based health system through the consolidation of four Catholic health systems.

A 2 million dollar remodeling project was started in Ocober 1998 to make the facility ADA compliant, as well as add a new emergency entrace.

During the remodel, Garrison Memorial Hospital applied for and was approved for Critical Acces Designation in December 1999.

In March 2000, it was restructured into an adult basic care facility called Holy Family Villa with 24 single unit apartments.

In 2010 land was purchased for the site of a new hospital.

In October 2014, a new project was underway to completely remodel the Emergency Department, going from two ER beds separated by a curtain, to 4 semi-private rooms separated by walls.