lmh in 1950

Although the push for a new hospital in Logansport began with a provision in the will of Judge David D. Dykeman in 1911, the Cass County Hospital did not admit its first patient until May 14, 1925.

After the delays cased by a flood in 1913, WWI, and wrangling over the location and funding, a county referendum was held. On May 4, 1920, after a heated campaign, Cass County residents voted more than 2 to 1 in favor of a county hospital. On the same day, the County Commissioners appointed a Board of Hospital Trustees to oversee the building of the hospital. They appropriated $100,000 in November of 1922, and purchased the land from the Tabor family for $25,000. They also levied a tax rate of one cent per $100 valuation of all taxable property in the county for a period of 20 years to maintain the hospital.

lmh in 1970

Construction began on August 27, 1923, and the Cass County Hospital opened for business on May 12, 1925. Staff included the first administrator, Miss Harriet Jones, a graduate nurse employed on a temporary basis, one bookkeeper, seven Registered Nurses, five undergraduate nurses, a graduate physician, three kitchen women, four housekeepers, two laundry women and one yard man.

In July 1947, the name of the hospital was changed from Cass County Hospital to Memorial Hospital.

lmh entrance

As healthcare services have been upgraded through construction and technology, the original 1925 hospital structure has been torn down or renovated. In 1959, the main entrance to Memorial Hospital was moved to the north side because a Y-shaped structure was attached to the Michigan Avenue or East side. This Y-Building was renovated in the late 1990’s and is currently occupied by Nutritional Services and Café Express, Medical Imaging, Family Birth Center and The Arbor by Miller’s Merry Manor.

In 1980, ground was broken on a new wing on the north side of the hospital.

northside of lmh hospital in 1980

Today, this wing includes private inpatient rooms, the Drew Walker Eckert Chapel, Cardiopulmonary Services Laboratory, Therapy Services, Registration and the Anti-Coagulation Clinic. Once again, Memorial’s main entrance was moved, this time to the West side, where it remains today.

The Surgery Wing was opened in 1985, and Ambulatory Surgery was added in 1994. Today, there are three main operating rooms, one cysto suite, two endoscopy rooms and a procedure room. Ambulatory includes 14 patient rooms, where most patients begin and end their surgical procedures.

lmh entrance

The first two floors of Medical Office Building West were constructed in 1992, with two more floors added in 1995. Administration and physician offices share this space.

Medical Office Building East opened late in 2001. Its tenants include the Outpatient Laboratory, MRI and physician offices.

The Parking Deck completed in 2004 added more than 400 parking spaces, a welcome addition for patients and visitors.

In 2005, three major additions to Memorial Hospital were accomplished. A new lobby and entrance was built to include these features to improve patient and visitor access and privacy: 3-lane circle drive with covered canopy, Welcome Center with Concierge, spacious waiting areas, Lobby Lab Draw, Patient Registration, Cashier, Surgery Waiting, Community Pharmacy, Gift Shop and Coffee Shop that proudly brews Starbucks Coffee. Later that year, the new inpatient wing opened with private rooms in beautiful surroundings.

lmh deck

Memorial’s new ER opened in 2006, with emphasis on patient-friendly accommodations: Its central nurse station is surrounded by private rooms that are family friendly and convenient. Other features include bedside registration, the lab next door for quick blood draws and results, a large, comfortable lobby and reserved parking near the ER canopy for emergency patients. Healthy Companies, Memorial’s occupational health clinic, also shares this space.

lmh er outisde view

Today, every area of Memorial Hospital is modern and utilizes green technology whenever possible. As new innovations in medical equipment and computer science develop, Memorial Hospital will keep abreast of advances that improve the patient experience.