The History of OSF Holy Family Medical Center
The story of OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center traces back more than a century to the founding of Monmouth Hospital in 1897. Through strong community support – including fundraising efforts and Monmouth’s early “Street Fair” – a new hospital opened in 1904, beginning a legacy of care that continued to grow with the community.
Over the decades, expansions and the construction of Community Memorial Hospital in 1968 reflected the region’s commitment to accessible, high-quality health care. In 2007, the hospital joined OSF HealthCare, continuing its purpose to serve Monmouth and the surrounding communities with compassionate care and advancing medical technology.
The Beginning
1900: The newly incorporated Hospital Association started a fundraising campaign for a future hospital.
1902: A training school for nurses was organized.
1903: Construction began for the new, $7,000 hospital located on East Euclid Avenue.
1904: A public open house and dedication was held for the newly completed Monmouth Hospital.
Early 1900s
1906: The first class of four students graduated from Monmouth Hospital Training School.
1911: A public open house was held for the newly completed addition.
1918: Hospital operation was turned over to the city of Monmouth.
1920s & 1930s
1929: A free children’s clinic was held at Monmouth Hospital.
1934: The Women’s Auxiliary to the Warren County Medical Society was established.
1936: Monmouth Hospital Nurses Training School was discontinued.
1939: A hospital addition and a nurse’s home was built.
1940s & 1950s
1949: Public tours were conducted to celebrate National Hospital Day.
1953: A Monmouth Hospital Auxiliary was formed.
1955: Monmouth Hospital added a new phone system with a switchboard, allowing each patient access to a phone.
1958: The east wing was remodeled for use as patient rooms. The wing was originally used as a nurse’s home.
1960s
1960: The auxiliary began offering a television rental program, patients could rent one of five televisions for $1.50 for 24 hours.
1961: A new ambulance entrance was added that allowed patients to be dropped off in a well-lit and covered area.
1964: A 20-acre site was purchased for $30,000 for a new hospital.
1966: A groundbreaking was held for the new hospital on West Harlem Avenue.
1968: Dedication ceremonies were held for the newly completed Community Memorial Hospital.
1968: A new candy striper program was established.
1970s
1973: A home health care program was established.
1974: A new heliport was constructed on the Community Memorial Hospital.
1979: A new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was established after a donation from the March of Dimes was used to purchase an incubator.
1979: A technician from Saint Francis Hospital in Peoria, trained the mammography staff to use the newly purchased equipment.
1980s & 1990s
1986: A dedication and open house were held for the Intensive Care Unit.
1997: The operating rooms were updated with $600,000 in new equipment and renovations.
1998: Community Memorial Hospital became Community Medical Center of Western Illinois, Inc., a nonprofit organization that would be no longer operated by the city of Monmouth.
2000s
2006: Community Medical Center and OSF HealthCare announced plans for a merger.
2007: Community Medical Center became OSF Holy Family Medical Center.
2010s
2012: The new, $4.36 million, 15,000-square-foot rural health clinic was blessed.
2013: A new chapel, made possible by a $500,000 donation from The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, was blessed and dedicated.
2015: The 15,000-square-foot remodeled rehabilitation and specialty clinic areas, which cost $4.63 million, opened.
2020s
2022: The new, $5.5 million, 10,000-square-foot Emergency Department was blessed and dedicated.
2024: TelePastoral Care was introduced at OSF Holy Family Medical Center.