Historical Images of Porter County

Porter Memorial Hospital
Valparaiso, Indiana

Date: Circa 1960s
Source Type: Postcard
Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Harvey's Studio (#S5878)
Postmark: None
Collection: Steven R. Shook
Remark: Porter Memorial Hospital. 155 bed general hospital, built in 1939 and had two enlargements since. Gift shop operated by Women's Guild. Porter Memorial Hospital opened on December 9, 1939, after the citizens of Porter County voted to approve the construction of a publicly funded hospital to serve the county. Previous elections in 1924 and 1926 to approve a county appropriation of $100,000 to construct a new hospital failed to garner enough support. The family of Dr. D. J. Loring, M.D., provided a $25,000 trust to Porter County on the condition that it was to be used for the construction of a new public hospital. The total cost of construction of the original 48-bed facility was $263,000, which was funded by the Loring funds, county bonds, and a federal grant. Of historical note, Dr. Loring constructed and operated the first hospital in Porter County in 1891, which was located on East Jefferson Street. The Loring Hospital was later purchased by the National Benevolent Association and the local Christian Church in 1906 and renamed the Christian Hospital. The Christian Hospital ceased to operate in 1939. Porter Memorial Hospital, after serving nearly 70 years as a public, county-owned hospital, was sold in 2007 to Community Health Systems of Brentwood, Tennessee, a for-profit hospital chain.

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Image and related text prepared by Steven R. Shook