Looking back at Christian Hospital history: Paul F. Detrick

Christian Hospital is marking 115 years of service, so we're celebrating with a retrospective of our history throughout 2018. Read about Paul F. Detrick 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

On April 18, 1960, Paul F. Detrick was named administrator of Christian Hospital. Detrick came to Christian Hospital with nearly 10 years of hospital administration experience, first at a 100-bed hospital in Arkansas City, Kansas, then at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. Just before coming to Christian Hospital, Detrick was a hospital consultant with an architectural firm in Kansas City, Missouri.  

Detrick, who passed away in 1999, is remembered as a visionary, a great leader, a shrewd businessman, and a truly warm and compassionate human being by those who knew and worked with him. 

Under his leadership, construction of the new wing at the Newstead facility was completed in 1961. A year later it was quickly determined that the expansion was a temporary fix and would not meet all the needs of the Christian Hospital community. The city’s population was shifting as patients moved farther north and west into the suburbs, along with physicians and their practices. 

Even though it was developing into one of the largest residential and business communities in the state, north St. Louis County was without a hospital. Suburban residents had to drive up to 45 minutes to get to Christian Hospital or other hospitals in the city, St. Charles or other parts of St. Louis County. 

It was clear that the need for a hospital in north St. Louis County was acute. Residents, the business community, clergy and politicians all agreed, yet leadership and money were lacking. Various civic and religious groups wanted to build their own hospital, but no one had the know-how to get the project underway. 

Christian Hospital, on the other hand, had just completed a successful expansion project and already had an experienced administrative team. The hospital was financially sound and had demonstrated its ability to raise funds. And it had gained a reputation for being a community hospital that promoted personalized health care. 

On November 15, 1962, Christian Hospital announced plans to build Christian Hospital Northwest. After extensive research and careful consideration, the hospital purchased a 17-acre tract of land just north of I-270 on the west side Graham Road in Florissant. This site was in the heart of north St. Louis County and easily accessible to the entire area by major roadways.