|
The Norman
County Memorial Hospital Association was organized in 1926 by a group of local
businessmen who had long felt the need for a hospital in the community.
Donations were sought to finance the hospital project and 2,000 shares
were sold for $25 each. The Ada
Home Guard donated the $600 left in its treasury when it disbanded, as a
memorial to Ada soldiers.
A large
house at 601 West Main Street was rented and a housewarming held on December 1,
1926 for the new Norman County Hospital. The facility had 10 hospital beds.
Four local physicians, W.B. Holmes, M. Hanson, J.R. Shelland, and N.
Bowman were appointed as house physicians. Miss Minnie Matson was engaged as
head nurse and superintendent. Her
salary was $90 per month and the night nurse, Mabel Rage received $60 per month.
The only other employees were a housekeeper, Mrs. Hanna Jorgenson, and a
janitor, Tom Taraldson.
In 1930 the
hospital treated 196 patients and took in $7,057.
In 1940 it has 302 patients and took in $8,176.
Hard times made it difficult to keep the hospital open so plays and other
forms of entertainment were held to benefit the facility.
By the end of the 1930s, it was becoming apparent that the hospital was
inadequate to meet the needs of the growing community.
The last
official act of the Norman County Hospital Association was to give the city a
bill of sale of all of its assets for the consideration of $1.
 The new Ada
Municipal Hospital was constructed in 1941 with funding from two bond issues.
More than 3,000 people attended the grand opening on February 1, 1942,
one week before the hospital opened for business.
The new hospital featured 30 beds, two operating rooms, an x-ray lab, and
a standby generator.
In 1962 a
survey concluded that remodeling the old building for a nursing home and
constructing a new hospital would be a prudent move.
A local benefactor, John Wimmer, donated $70,000
to the project. Another 45%
of the cost was covered by the Hills-Burton Fund.
A bond issue furnished the remainder of the funds.
 The new
hospital opened on September 9, 1964.
It had 31 beds and was connected to the old facility, which had been
converted to a 26-bed convalescent and nursing care unit. In 1966 John Wimmer
donated an additional $70,000 to increase the capacity of the nursing home by 28
beds. The John Wimmer home was
dedicated to the service of the ill, the aged, and the infirm.
In the spring of 1968, Wimmer gave another gift of $80,000
to the City to be used for the construction of a medical clinic in the
Municipal Hospital area.
The Norman
County Commissioners, the Ada City Council, and the Ada Municipal Hospital Board
reached an agreement in 1991 for the hospital to take over the operation of the
Norman County Ambulance Service with a county subsidy to help fund the service.
At the same time, a name change was approved and the Ada Municipal
Hospital became Bridges Medical Center.
On April 6,
1997, unprecedented flooding in the region destroyed the hospital, clinic, and
nursing home and caused the evacuation of all patients and residents.
FEMA determined that the old buildings could not be repaired so plans
began for a new facility.
 |
