Looking back at Christian Hospital history: 1915-1968

Christian Hospital is marking 115 years of service, so we're celebrating with a retrospective of our history throughout 2018. Read about years 1915-1968 below, and check back to learn more about the people, places and events that shaped the hospital we all know today.

written by Bret Berigan

As the Roaring ‘20s got into full swing, Christian Hospital was growing and in need of a permanent, larger site. In 1923, a building fund to erect a more expansive, modern Christian Hospital was initiated. The community expressed overwhelming support for a larger, more up-to-date facility in north St. Louis. The medical staff worked with the Christian Women’s Benevolent Association to acquire a block of land bordered by Carter, Taylor and Newstead avenues.

The result of this collaboration between the community, hospital physicians and leadership, and the women’s Christian group was the four-story, 100-bed facility, pictured above left, that was designed to be “modern and fire-proof.” The new Christian Hospital at 4411 Newstead Ave. was officially opened with a dedication on Oct. 29, 1925. The new Christian Hospital was soon approved as a “Class A” hospital by the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons. One of the “modern” surgery suites in the newly opened Newstead facility is pictured above right. Christian Hospital Northwest opened in 1968 and the Newstead location remained open into the early 1970s.