Perry Memorial Hospital history

Two years later in 1905, the institution was purchased and operated by a physician named Doctor Blackburn who opened it as a private hospital which he successfully ran for three years.

Although Julia Rackley Perry of Malden, Illinois, suffered from illness for several years and required two surgeries prior to her failing health, her death on December 29, 1913, was peaceful, yet unexpected.

The Julia Rackley Perry Memorial Hospital was officially founded on May 29, 1916, when an ordinance was passed by the City Council for the establishment and maintenance of a public hospital in the City of Princeton.

In October 1917, the old hospital property was purchased for $4,711.58.

After months of unavoidable delays, the hospital finally opened on June 17, 1920.

A new east wing was added to the building and completed July 17, 1931, for $45,000.

In 1935 the Rotary Club of Princeton decorated and refurbished the reception room at the entrance of the hospital.

In 1937 a need for further expansion was identified, and a grant was secured from the Federal Government for $22,900, conditional upon raising the additional funds by the City to make a total of $50,000.

In 1938, a west wing hospital addition was started.

By October 1939 the entire project was completed and included sterilization equipment and surgical rooms; the conversion was made of the old original hospital building at the rear into the nurses’ quarters and kitchen.

In 1950 an extensive financial drive was conducted throughout the city and Bureau County.

A total of over $300,000 was raised and these funds, together with many other special gifts which had been received by the hospital, made possible the remodeling of the center wing and the construction of an addition to the east wing, which was completed in 1954.

When yet another expansion needed to be done to keep up with rising needs and technology, contributions and pledges in a similar drive in 1959 totaled another $300,000.

The third floor of the east wing was completed in 1976 for a surgical inpatient unit, providing a total bed capacity of 105.

The 1978 building’s cost was $3.2 million.

Our Home Care team won a Superior Performer Award from Strategic Healthcare Programs through the annual SHPBest™ award program in 2019 and performed in the top 20% for patient satisfaction.