Imagine six sisters arriving in Houston from Galveston. They established St. Joseph Hospital. It was Houston’s first general hospital. This plaque commemorates their dedication. The St. Joseph Hospital plaque marks a place of healing. It stands as a testament to early healthcare in Houston.
St. Joseph Hospital began as St. Joseph’s Infirmary in 1887. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word founded it. They came from St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston. Their mission was to provide care.
Two years later Harris County asked for help. The sisters agreed to care for the county’s poor. They continued this service until 1919. A new hospital was built in 1894. It was meant to accommodate more patients. Disaster struck a few months later. A fire destroyed the structure. Two sisters tragically died. Another hospital was rebuilt on this very site.
The St. Joseph Hospital plaque highlights the hospital’s legacy. In the 20th century St. Joseph became a healthcare leader in Texas. It pioneered several medical advancements. St. Joseph introduced pathology labs and X-ray equipment in 1912. In 1936 it built a facility for women and infants. It opened a premature infant nursery in 1943. A coronary intensive care unit opened in 1965. A community mental health center followed in 1996. St. Joseph offered neonatal transport services in 1984. Laser lithotripsy for removing kidney stones began in 1987.
Education was also a priority at St. Joseph Hospital. The city’s first nursing school opened here in 1905. A large surgical training laboratory was established in 1980. The hospital was known for its cancer research and treatment.
St. Joseph Hospital provided quality treatment. It served as a reminder of Houston’s early medical leadership. The St. Joseph Hospital plaque acknowledges this history. The hospital was the largest in the city. This lasted until the Texas Medical Center was established.
The original building was at Caroline Street and Franklin Street. In 1894, a larger brick facility opened. Nicholas J. Clayton designed it. He also designed historic buildings in Galveston and Houston. A fire destroyed it. The hospital was rebuilt at Crawford Street and Pierce Street. This location is now part of the hospital’s downtown campus. In 1905 a three-story brick structure was built. By 1919, St. Joseph had 350 beds.
During the 1930s and 1940s St. Joseph expanded. A new maternity building was built in 1938. The George W. Strake family supported this expansion. A new hospital wing and convent building were added in 1940. St. Joseph was once called “Houston’s birthplace”. Many babies were born there. After the 1947 Texas City disaster St. Joseph treated many injured people.
In the 1950s and 1960s notable physicians practiced at St. Joseph. Dr. Mavis Kelsey founded the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. Dr. Thomas Cronin and Frank Gerow developed silicone gel implants here.
Before Texas Children’s Hospital St. Joseph had an affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Allan Penny Bloxsom introduced the Bloxsom air lock device in 1950. Herman A. Barnett completed his residency at St. Joseph in 1968. He was the first black medical school graduate at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Remember the sisters’ dedication as you stand here. The St. Joseph Hospital plaque represents a legacy of care. It reminds us of Houston’s medical history.