The History of Whitehall Community Hospital
In the fall of 1911 Dr. N. S. Simons, just out of the University of Illinois medical school, purchased the practice of Dr. Christian Berg in Whitehall so he could return to Norway for a visit. He didn’t come back the following spring as he had intended, so Dr. Simons continued Dr. Berg's practice at Whitehall and Pigeon Falls in addition to the one he had established at Taylor.
Dr. Simons wrote to his classmate, Dr. E. A. MacCornack, then practicing in Keokuk, Iowa, asking if he could suggest someone to take over one of his practices, adding that the area had possibilities of a medical center.
At that time patients needing hospital care were taken to the hospital at Winona or to La Crosse. Transportation was via the Green Bay & Western Railway, which then had passenger service. If en route to La Crosse, the patients had to change trains at Marshland, delaying treatment.
Dr. MacComack's reply to the letter said, “Yes, I know of someone to help you out, it's me.”
Since there was no doctor living in Whitehall at the time, Dr. MacCornack and his wife came here in June 1915. He and Dr. Simons started doing emergency surgery in the Parker residence on Dewey Street, which the MacCornackspurchased.
They also performed surgery in other homes, which meant carrying instruments and equipment with them and following surgery, leaving patients in: the care of their families.
Dr. Simons recalls that when roads weren't open, they often used a handcar on the Green Bay to get between Taylor and Whitehall to assist each other in surgery.
In 1916, the Whitehall Community Hospital was started as a corporation, with 843 shareholders. The late G. S. Rice was chairman of the first meeting of shareholders Aug. 21, 1916.
Officers named were: Ludvig L. Solsrud. president; O. J. Eggum, vice president; E. A. Sorenson. Secretary; and S. N. Hegge, treasurer. Directors elected were A. E. Wood and H. A. M. Steen, one year: R. H. Holtan and 0. J. Eggum, two years; and Gilbert Pederson and Claude Everson, three years.
At a meeting Aug. 26, the Melby or present site was selected for the hospital. Others considered wore the Skaarstad, Fredrickson and Manthy sites. John O. Melby heirs sold the site for $1,000 and the building committee was authorized to have plans drawn for a complete building not to exceed $10,000. The hospital was completed in 1917, with Drs. MacCornack and Simons as the staff.
Dr. and Mrs. Simons moved to Whitehall in 1920. The following year, Dr. R. L. MacCornack, who was practicing at Blair, joined the staff. He and his wife moved to Whitehall.
In 1917, Mrs. E. A. (Harriett) MacCornack, a registered nurse, had established a training school for nurses. This was operated in conjunction with the hospital until September 1931, when the five remaining students were graduated. During that period, 52 nurses completed the course, passed state board examinations, and became registered nurses in Wisconsin.
In June 1923 Dr. and Mrs. E. A MacCornack left Whitehall to go to Lima. Peru, as medical missionaries.
The first hospital housed 16 patients. A $20,000 addition was approved in 1924, providing room for 35 patients.
In 1929, the stock was called in and the Community Hospital became a nonprofit institution owned by the people. The first meeting of the board of trustees of the reorganized hospital was held at the village hall June 1, 1931.
Three-year members elected to the new board were Dr. R. L. MacCornack, still a director in 1965 but currently wintering at Phoenix, Ariz.; Dr. N. S. Simons, still practicing, and the late O. J. Eggum. Two-year members were Dr. H. C Koch of the hospital staff, who left Whitehall for Berlin, Wis., early in the 1930’s and still is residing there, and the late N. L. Fredrickson. One- year members were G. S. Rice and W. H. Mathson, who have died.
The enlarged hospital, with improvements from time to time including a new entrance, sufficed until 1960 when Vincent Otis, director of the division of hospitals, state Board of Health, announced the original hospital soon would be rated unsuitable. Steps toward building the new hospital were started in 1961 by the board of trustees. A new constitution was drawn up, making it a non-profit institution; belonging to the people of the area it serves. The name was changed to Tri-County Memorial and an application for Hill-Burton funds was made, which provided 40 percent of the cost.
(Winona [Minn.] Daily News, Feb. 7, 1965)
Dr. Simons wrote to his classmate, Dr. E. A. MacCornack, then practicing in Keokuk, Iowa, asking if he could suggest someone to take over one of his practices, adding that the area had possibilities of a medical center.
At that time patients needing hospital care were taken to the hospital at Winona or to La Crosse. Transportation was via the Green Bay & Western Railway, which then had passenger service. If en route to La Crosse, the patients had to change trains at Marshland, delaying treatment.
Dr. MacComack's reply to the letter said, “Yes, I know of someone to help you out, it's me.”
Since there was no doctor living in Whitehall at the time, Dr. MacCornack and his wife came here in June 1915. He and Dr. Simons started doing emergency surgery in the Parker residence on Dewey Street, which the MacCornackspurchased.
They also performed surgery in other homes, which meant carrying instruments and equipment with them and following surgery, leaving patients in: the care of their families.
Dr. Simons recalls that when roads weren't open, they often used a handcar on the Green Bay to get between Taylor and Whitehall to assist each other in surgery.
In 1916, the Whitehall Community Hospital was started as a corporation, with 843 shareholders. The late G. S. Rice was chairman of the first meeting of shareholders Aug. 21, 1916.
Officers named were: Ludvig L. Solsrud. president; O. J. Eggum, vice president; E. A. Sorenson. Secretary; and S. N. Hegge, treasurer. Directors elected were A. E. Wood and H. A. M. Steen, one year: R. H. Holtan and 0. J. Eggum, two years; and Gilbert Pederson and Claude Everson, three years.
At a meeting Aug. 26, the Melby or present site was selected for the hospital. Others considered wore the Skaarstad, Fredrickson and Manthy sites. John O. Melby heirs sold the site for $1,000 and the building committee was authorized to have plans drawn for a complete building not to exceed $10,000. The hospital was completed in 1917, with Drs. MacCornack and Simons as the staff.
Dr. and Mrs. Simons moved to Whitehall in 1920. The following year, Dr. R. L. MacCornack, who was practicing at Blair, joined the staff. He and his wife moved to Whitehall.
In 1917, Mrs. E. A. (Harriett) MacCornack, a registered nurse, had established a training school for nurses. This was operated in conjunction with the hospital until September 1931, when the five remaining students were graduated. During that period, 52 nurses completed the course, passed state board examinations, and became registered nurses in Wisconsin.
In June 1923 Dr. and Mrs. E. A MacCornack left Whitehall to go to Lima. Peru, as medical missionaries.
The first hospital housed 16 patients. A $20,000 addition was approved in 1924, providing room for 35 patients.
In 1929, the stock was called in and the Community Hospital became a nonprofit institution owned by the people. The first meeting of the board of trustees of the reorganized hospital was held at the village hall June 1, 1931.
Three-year members elected to the new board were Dr. R. L. MacCornack, still a director in 1965 but currently wintering at Phoenix, Ariz.; Dr. N. S. Simons, still practicing, and the late O. J. Eggum. Two-year members were Dr. H. C Koch of the hospital staff, who left Whitehall for Berlin, Wis., early in the 1930’s and still is residing there, and the late N. L. Fredrickson. One- year members were G. S. Rice and W. H. Mathson, who have died.
The enlarged hospital, with improvements from time to time including a new entrance, sufficed until 1960 when Vincent Otis, director of the division of hospitals, state Board of Health, announced the original hospital soon would be rated unsuitable. Steps toward building the new hospital were started in 1961 by the board of trustees. A new constitution was drawn up, making it a non-profit institution; belonging to the people of the area it serves. The name was changed to Tri-County Memorial and an application for Hill-Burton funds was made, which provided 40 percent of the cost.
(Winona [Minn.] Daily News, Feb. 7, 1965)