1902
Dr. William Krape bought the home of the Honorable Horatio Burchard. (Burchard, a member of Congress for 10 years and Director of the Mint for 5 years, had purchased the home from Col. Schaeffer who built it as his personal home. Col. Schaeffer later became the Governor of Utah). The home was expanded and converted into a 40 bed hospital. The hospital became well known for its excellent equipment and nursing staff. They had patients from Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, and all of Illinois.
1904
The Globe Hospital School of Nursing was established, Its first class had seven students. The first Director of Nursing was Miss Anna Pengilly. Students worked 12 hours per day with classes in the evening. No tuition was required and students received $6.00 per month for their services.
1924
Globe Hospital was sold to the Deaconess Society of the Evangelical Church for $22,500. Its name was changed to Evangelical Deaconess. The administrator (the called the Principal) was Miss Millie Ploeger.
1925
The South Wing was built. It brought the bed capacity to 87. Cost for the building and furnishings was $275,000.
1938
A new corporation was formed and the name of the hospital was changed again, this time to Deaconess Hospital.
1950
Construction of the West Wing began. It was dedicated and opened in 1952. Bed capacity became 125. When this wing opened, patients were no longer admitted to the Globe Building. Cost of this wing and furnishings was $600,000, with $412,000 raised through a community fund drive.
1955
Ray L. Wine became Acting Administrator; in 1956, he was named Administrator.
1960
The North Wing was built and Globe Hospital Building was vacated. Bed capacity of the hospital was now 193. Cost of this wing and demolition of the GLobe Hospital Building was $1.6 million. This was funded with $314,000 in Hill-Burton funds and the remainder from community contributions.
1965
The hospital's name was changed to Freeport Memorial Hospital. St. Francis Hospital, a 112 bed general hospital closed, leaving FMH as the only hospital in Freeport and the surrounding area.
1966
To meet the increasing need, 59 beds were added by completing the third and fourth floors of the North Wing and the fourth floor of the West Wing. Renovation of some exiting areas was also completed. The total cost of the project was $650,000.
1976
The East Wing was built, bringing bed capacity to 250. This five story addition (with the top two floors shelled in but not finished) provided new locations for emergency room services, the lab, dietary and x-ray. Total cost of the expansion was $9.7 million. This was financed with $6 million in hospital mortgage revenue bonds, $1.5 million raised through a fund drive and $2 million on hand. During this same time, the hospital obtained permission to close Harlem Avenue, Between Lincoln and Stephenson Streets. In turn, the hospital assisted with expenses necessary to expand McKinley Avenue between Lincoln and Stephenson Streets.
1981
Day Surgery Center was opened. The name was changed to Ambulatory Care Unit in 1985.
1982
The Emergency Room began providing 24 hour physician coverage and the helipad was constructed.
1984
Freeport Memorial Hospital underwent corporate restructure and became a subsidiary of Freeport Health Care Foundation, a non-profit foundation. The new surgery, recovery room and intensive care unit were opened in August. Full body CT scanning became available through sharing of a mobile unit. This became a permanent service in the X-ray department in 1985.
1985
Skilled Nursing Unit opened in June with 24 beds. The OB Department was remodeled and renamed the Family Birthing Center; it was extended into the West Wing and provides 11 private rooms. Two Birthing Rooms were added.
1986
Dennis Hamilton became president and chief executive officer in July. Home Care Services offered through Memorial Enterprises, a hospital subsidiary, began in August. A mammography suite was opened.
1988
The Pediatric Unit was remodeled. Lithotripsy services became available through a mobile unit.
1990
Cardiopulmonary services were consolidated into a completely remodeled area on the first floor. Gastroenterology lab was upgraded and remodeled. Began providing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) services through use of mobile unit
1991
Skilled Nursing Unit was expanded to 33 beds. Several departments throughout the hospital were relocated.
1992
Began Radial Keratotomy (RK) and Retinal Services. These two services and The Cataract Center are now under the Freeport Eye Specialties umbrella. Purchased a new gamma camera, used in nuclear medicine for the examination of soft tissues. Recruited a pulmonologist and an oncologist.
1993
construction began which will expand the Emergency Department, consolidate diagnostic services, centralize Ambulatory Care services and add education and conference rooms.
Contributed by Karen Fyock
