500 Market Street
Grafton, WV 26354
Phone (304) 265-0400
Fax (304) 265-3926
Hearing Impaired (304)
265-6444
|
|
|
|
THE EARLY YEARS The need for a hospital in Grafton had been an issue dating back to the 1870's. At this time the only hospital that existed, in what is now known as Grafton, was the Civil War era Federal Hospital, on the corner of Beech and Walnut Streets. TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY In 1903, Dr. R.H. Powell purchased the old West Grafton School for the site of the first hospital. On February 23, 1915, the "Articles of Incorporation" were signed and Grafton City Hospital was formed. In 1921, the Daughters' of the American Revolution led the effort to bring a "modern" facility to the area. In 1924, the Hospital Association of Grafton was formed. A historic look at Grafton City Hospital reveals the hospital had; seven private rooms, six two bed wards and a kitchen in the basement. The hospital boasted a staff of, seven nurses, two maids and one cook. Fourteen additional beds were added in 1935 to meet the demands of a growing Taylor County. THE GREAT DEPRESSION The hospital proposal, first envisioned years prior, lay dormant until the Public Works Administration and the City of Grafton gained approval for a new building in 1938. On October 13,1938, a plot of land that had once served as a Civil War look-out site, known as Finnegan's Rock, was purchased to be the site of what is the present Grafton City Hospital. This site is the highest point in the City of Grafton and allows the hospital to look over the beautiful Tygart River Valley and much of Taylor County. WORLD WAR II In 1939, the Public Works Administration folded, and local funds were not sufficient to finish construction on the facility, construction was therefore halted. The current site lay dormant until 1941 when the Rural Finance Corporation agreed advance funds to the city through a bond levy to continue construction. Work on the facility resumed at an alarmingly slow pace due to scarcity of materials during World War II. On March 7, 1945, the sixty three bed hospital was completed and admitted its first patient when 10 patients were transferred from the old facility. THE 1970'S Almost one hundred years after the first need for a hospital was documented in Grafton, work again began to expand Grafton City Hospital. This phase of construction enlarged the hospital proper, adding the parts of the building that now house our Emergency Department, Surgery, Radiology, and many support services. Grafton City Hospital also added approximately forty three beds and a tunnel connecting the main facility with the newly constructed wing.. This extension was slated to serve patients with "chronic illness". Currently, this wing is used to house part of the Wallace B. Murphy, M.D., Nursing Care facility. THE 21st CENTURY
In 1999, Grafton City Hospital was licensed by the state of West Virginia to operate as a Critical Access Hospital. Final conversion allowed the hospital to begin functioning as a CAH in January of 2000. Grafton City Hospital now operates with twenty five acute care beds, 77 long term care beds and is home for many technologically advanced services including:
In addition to our in house services, we also host various specialty clinics including
TOMORROW Grafton City Hospital will continue to grow and change to meet the increasing needs of our community. We are continually "under construction." Building not only our facility, but also our services. Our vision is to serve as the hub of health care in Taylor County, constantly striving to improve and serve you with the care and dedication each of our neighbors and friends need and deserve. |
Under
Construction!