Now an icon of the Southside, the hospital had humble beginnings in 1875

View photos from 150th anniversary celebration

Struggling with a lack of staff and resources, a ramshackle sailor’s hospital in Savannah was in such dire need of help in 1875 that the city’s Bishop made a plea to his religious order on its behalf. Five Sisters of Mercy, who were teachers but had some practical nursing experience, answered the call and took over the Forest City Marine Hospital on June 30.

A year later they had saved more than 400 Savannahians stricken with yellow fever and established St. Joseph’s Hospital. It was a remarkable first step on a mission that would forever change the healthcare landscape in Savannah and the surrounding region.

A century and a half later, St. Joseph’s/Candler honored the hospital’s incredible history with a celebration and press conference on Friday, June 27. State and regional leaders, including the Honorable Jon Burns, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, joined St. Joseph’s/Candler President & CEO Paul P. Hinchey in marking this historic milestone.

“We are both very proud and very humbled to celebrate 150 years of this iconic institution,” Mr. Hinchey said. “For an organization to not only survive, but to grow and thrive, for that length of time is nothing short of extraordinary. Of course, it all began with the Sisters of Mercy. We are here to celebrate them, as well as all the co-workers, caregivers, physicians and community leaders who came before us. Their belief in this hospital’s mission, their commitment to this community, and their bold vision for the future is what brought us to this moment. It’s an incredible story of a locally owned, locally governed, faith-based hospital. You won’t see that anywhere else. And even though it’s been 150 years, in many ways, we are just getting started.”

A collection of memorabilia and artifacts from the hospital’s past was also on display for guests to see.

On Monday, June 30, St. Joseph’s/Candler’s co-workers will receive a complimentary souvenir tea cup. This is in honor of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, whose final request before dying was that those who needed comfort may find some, not only in God and in each other, but also in a good cup of tea.

The founding of the Sisters of Mercy was a pivotal precursor to the fate of St. Joseph’s Hospital, which has endured through several epidemics, world wars and an ever-changing medical and technological landscape to become an iconic fixture on Savannah’s Southside.

Notable moments in the history of St. Joseph’s Hospital:

• 1831 - Catherine McAuley, Mary Ann Doyle, and Mary Elizabeth Harley profess their vows and become the first Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland.
• 1833 – Sisters of Mercy arrive in the United States.
• 1845 - Father Jeremiah Francis O’Neill brings six Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy from Charleston, South Carolina, to Savannah to serve as educators at St. Vincent’s Academy, a private school and orphanage.
  
• June 30, 1875 – The Sisters take over operations of the Forest City Marine Hospital for sick sailors, a small building on the corner of East Broad and Gordon Street in downtown Savannah.
• 1876 – The Sisters move their operation to former Savannah Medical College on the corner of Taylor and Habersham; it is named the St. Joseph’s Infirmary. That summer, the Yellow Fever Epidemic affects hundreds of Savannahians.
• 1901 – The hospital is given a new annex and a new name: St. Joseph’s Hospital.
• 1902 – St. Joseph’s Hospital opens its own School of Nursing.
• 1943 – The Mother of Mercy Wing is added; St. Joseph’s Hospital now covers a city block.
  
• 1970 – After seven years of planning, fundraising, construction, and a big move, the new St. Joseph’s Hospital opens on Mercy Boulevard on Savannah’s Southside.
• 1980 – St. Joseph’s Hospital completes a two-story, 27,400 square-foot expansion.
• 1993 – Paul P. Hinchey is the first layperson to be appointed President & CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospita
• 1997 - After the Federal Trade Commission approves the application for a Joint Operating Agreement, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital officially becomes St. Joseph’s/Candler.
  
• 2014 – A $15 million interior and exterior renovation is completed at St. Joseph’s Hospital. More than 900 tons of brick are pulled from the building in the process of making it more energy-efficient and storm-resistant.
• 2017 - St. Joseph’s Hospital opens its expanded and renovated space which includes the Emergency Department, Outpatient Surgery and Imaging. The new space is noted for being equally outstanding in modern, efficient design and visual elegance.