St. Mary's Medical Center history

In 1933, an earthquake shook Long Beach and destroyed St Mary’s Hospital.

The hospital is closed in 1937 following their deaths.

Founded in 1938, St Mary’s Medical Center is a 460-bed, acute care hospital that provides medical, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric, trauma and emergency services to a five-county area.

Even after the major expansion in 1961, it became quickly evident that OSF St Mary had outgrown its humble beginnings.

A fund-raising drive aimed at building a new, modern hospital began in 1971.

Since 1973, St Mary Medical Center has met the healthcare needs of the Northwest Indiana community, having started through the ministry of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ.

The new OSF St Mary Medical Center opened in 1974 with a seamless transition that served patients breakfast at the old location and lunch at the new site in the same day.

A new building – the current St Mary – opened on March 26, 1976.

The $13 million facility was licensed for 142 beds and was renamed St Mary Medical Center in 1984.

In 1985, a 125,000-square-foot addition was built to house radiation oncology, a critical care unit, a telemetry and intermediate care unit, 20 pediatric care beds and a perinatal center.

In 1986, St Mary’s developed a heart program and provided the first open-heart surgery and postoperative care, eliminating the need for open-heart patients to travel 250 miles to Denver.

The Outpatient Procedure Center opened in 1988.

St Mary Regional Cancer Center in 1990.

St Mary’s celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996.

The following year, help arrived in the form of a $2000 contract to care for the county’s poor.

In 2001, St Mary Medical Center became part of Community Healthcare System, comprised of St Mary Medical Center in Hobart, St Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, and Community Hospital in Munster.

In 2003, St Mary embarked on an ambitious $28 million expansion.

In 2004, the hospital expanded with a new $40 million Patient Tower offering comfortable, private rooms and advanced bedside technology.

In 2006, Providence St Mary Medical Center completed construction on a new Providence St Mary Regional Cancer Center and Outpatient Procedure Center.

In 2010, an expansion of the OSF Medical Group - Galesburg office, located on the hospital campus, was completed.