Graceville Health Center
115 W. 2nd Street
Graceville, Minnesota 56240
(320) 748-7223
888-748-3981 |
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Graceville's first hospital was organized by Dr. Benjamin M. Randall and Dr. A.R. Pollack in 1900. Three patient beds and an operating room were located in a small home owned by Miss Jennie Cauley.
In 1907, Dr. C.I. Oliver bought the Nellie Carron house and remodeled it into a hospital with seven patient beds and an operating room. Dr. Oliver practiced in Graceville from 1901 to 1945.
Western Minnesota Hospital was built in 1914 on extensive grounds near the edge of Lake Toqua. It was a 20-bed hospital with a school of nursing. It was quoted as "the only truly modern hospital facility within a radius of fifty miles."
A new wing was added to Western Minnesota Hospital in 1925, adding 15 patient beds and a Nurses' home for 16 resident nurses. In 1935, Western Minnesota Hospital was incorporated as West Central Hospital.
Holy Trinity Hospital,
1945-1965 |
In 1945, West Central Minnesota Hospital was purchased by the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Norfolk, Nebraska. The hospital was incorporated as Holy Trinity Hospital.
A new 40-bed hospital was constructed in 1965, adjoining the old building to the south. The project was financed by "Hill Burton" funds, donations and pledges. Many volunteers contributed time and labor, assisting in various ways such as loading and transporting bricks from the railroad to the construction site.
Following the opening of the new hospital, the old hospital continued to provide space for a convent, staff offices, and meeting rooms. A large portion of the building was converted to a residence for elderly people and became known as Holy Trinity Home. The first floor wing was remodeled into a Chapel.
New Holy Trinity Hospital,
1965 |
In 1972 a convent was built for the sisters west of the old hospital building. In 1976 the City of Graceville built a nursing home called Grace Home. After the residents from Holy Trinity Home transferred to Grace Home, the second floor of the old building was converted to a board and lodging facility for chemically dependent citizens. Offices for out-reach mental health services provided by West Central Community Service Center were also located in the old building. An addition was constructed in 1976 to house a detoxification program known as Graceville Receiving Center. In 1981, remodeling was done to provide space for a dental clinic on the first floor. After the detox program closed out, the vacated space became a clinic for private practice. This space later housed the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop.In the spring of 1984, construction of a new addition to the south of Holy Trinity Hospital began. The new addition better enabled the hospital to offer out-patient services by providing a new emergency room, facilities for physical therapy, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, patient examination, treatment, chapel/meditation room, laboratory expansion and offices.
Progress is sometimes measured by diminishment. In 2003, the old hospital building was demolished and with it, so was a lot of history. Almost everyone in the Graceville area could say one or more of the following: they were born in that hospital, worked there, had their babies there, were patients there, or visited relatives and friends there. The site was packed with gravel to provide needed parking space for employees.
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