The 1961-1966 McHenry Hospital Additions

The October blog post, featured the origins of the McHenry Hospital. From a little clinic building to a dedicated 23-bed medical center, the McHenry Hospital saw tremendous growth in a little bit of time. During the 1960s, the McHenry Hospital would see even more growth, as the structure more than tripled in size. Most of this was done by an involved fundraising public. While the original medical center was impressive, it didn’t have everything that was featured in more and more hospitals. The hospital served a roughly 750 square mile area. With all the tourists and boaters that frequented McHenry, accidents were frequent. Dr. James Lennon, the Hospital Board’s President, also noted that the mechanization of agricultural equipment also caused severe injuries that required medical attention. Almost as soon as the hospital construction finished in 1956, the city set out to raise money and making architectural plans for a new addition. With a committee headed by Mayor Don Doherty, Dr. Lennon, and former Mayor George Freund, the funds were to be raised in roughly four years. This was largely inpart of a four-stage plan that aimed at raising enough money to build improved surgical and emergency facilities, as well as getting 71 more beds.

In May 1961, the new addition was open for patients. One of the most popular features was the new maternity wing. Nearly all of the money for the maternity wing was raised by the Women’s Auxiliary. For years, citizens had talked about the need for special care for expectant mothers. The Women’s Auxiliary took it upon themselves to get the finances taken care of through a variety of fundraising events. The wing had two labor rooms and space for 14 bassinettes. Every room in the hospital had a television and speaker pillows to help keep down the noise. Anticipating the construction of at least one more building, plans were also drawn up for a large enough plant to produce enough electricity and air conditioning for the facility. Rooms also featured a direct line of communication with the nurse’s station for near immediate service. The hospital received congratulatory telegrams from Governor Otto Kerner and President Kennedy. Overall, the project had been completely financed by local funds, without any state or federal money.

Three years later, the Hospital Commission had the funds lined up to move forward with their next round of construction. In total $1,500,000 would be needed to finish the project. By September 1964, $300,000 had been put together, which was enough to start construction. The rest of the funding would be obtained through long-term financing. After this round of construction, the hospital would grow to 137 beds, which was the main goal with the expanding population of the area. George Freund noted that the hospital had been “bursting at the seams.” The new construction added 16 feet to addition to the current building. Some of the improvements included: expanded cafeteria facilities, more office space, and a larger area for medical records. Also built was a three-story building that was just east of the current structure. The first floor would have a space for offices and a post-anesthetic recovery room, which was a relatively new idea at the time. The McHenry County Mental Health Center had a suite of offices and beds put into the new building. Construction was completed in May 1966.

To celebrate, Hospital leaders held an open house, which several thousand people attended. The Women’s Auxiliary served refreshments and also acted as tour guides for the hospital’s guests. George Freund noted that the hospital functioned as a “servant to the community” and was very much part of the community. One improvement in the new building was the use of carpeting throughout much of the structure. It was reported that McHenry was the first hospital in Illinois to do this. The Illinois Department of Health encouraged the change citing that it was just as sanitary as tile, yet much quieter for sleeping patients. The emergency room was moved to a better location where patients who need immediate assistance could be helped. The Progressive Patient Care model, a relatively new idea at the time, was incorporated using the Ambulatory Care and the Intermediate Care Units further specializing the city’s medical care. In little under a decade, the McHenry Hospital had grown from a small clinic to a series of structures with the finest medical care in the area.

Sources

• “New Building Is “Servant” For Community.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 26 May 1966, 1 & 8. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Break Ground For McHenry Hospital.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 24 Sep 1964, 1 & 8. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Award Contracts For New Addition To McHenry Hospital.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 27 Aug 1964, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Construction Loan Oked For McHenry Hospital; Building To Start Soon. ” The Herald. (Crystal Lake, IL) 5 May 1960, 1 & 8. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “New Hospital Building Now Waiting For Wall Construction.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 1 Sep 1960, 1, 8. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Ceremonies Planned At 1:30 Sunday, Followed By Open House Tours.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 27 Apr 1960, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Recognize Fine Achievement In New Hospital.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 4 May 1961, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.
• “Dedication Sunday For First Stage of McHenry Hospital.” The Herald. (Crystal Lake, IL) 27 Apr 1961, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 1 Nov 2023.