Nestled in the heart of Peterborough, New Hampshire, Monadnock Community Hospital (MCH) stands as a testament to the enduring commitment to community health.
Opened in 1923, our hospital has been an unwavering pillar of support for the Monadnock Region. From its humble beginnings, MCH has evolved into a beacon of accessible, high-quality, and value-based healthcare. Our journey is interwoven with the community’s growth, and our history reflects a continuous dedication to improving the health and vitality of those we serve.
From the tireless efforts of our healthcare professionals to the unwavering support of the community, MCH’s history is a collaborative journey that echoes the values engraved in our mission.
Join us in celebrating the moments that have shaped Monadnock Community Hospital, where the past becomes a foundation for an even healthier and more vibrant future.
1976 – Aerial photo of the hospital campus
Dr. Chandler and an early ether machine at his Family Medicine Practice
1923 – Dr. Charles Cutler was a Peterborough native
Boston Med Flight takes off from the MCH parking lot after an in-service training session
1923 – Nursery
A photo of a group of doctors from the hospital archives. Pictured: unknown, Dr. Charles Harrington, 3 unknown, Dr. William Wilkins, 2 unknown, Dr. Loren Richards, Dr. Nathaniel Cheever, Dr. Frank Foster, Dr. Charles Cutler, unknown, Dr. Donald Clark, Dr. Francis Wozmak, Dr. Harry Morse, Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Claire Cayward
1917 – Robert M. Parmelee donated his newly built summer home which would become a community hospital
Team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer benefit walk in the 1990s
1991 hospital addition construction
1972 – The theme of the 1972 Chrysanthemum Ball was “Islands” with a tropical atmosphere
1958 – Participating in a Disaster Nursing Training program in 1958 were Minnie Hayden, Catherine L “Hodgie” Hodgen, Rachel Towle, Hazel Cadwell, unknown, Lillian Mahoney
1915 – Robert M Parmelee and Alicia Elizabeth Parker Parmelee built Evergreen, their summer home in Peterborough
1940s – In the 1940s it was common practice for hearses to be used as ambulances. Funeral homes handled ambulance calls as well as funeral transportation. The vehicles were bought as combination hearses/ambulances.
Construction of the Parmelee House with horses
The Parmelee house during construction 1910s
1923 – Operating room
1950 – The Board of Trustees 1950: George Stewart, Claire Cayward, Frances Donovan, G A Morrison, Perkins Bass, Karl Musser, Al Bunce, Harold Fuller, 5 unknown, Reverend McKee
1966 – Antrim Hospital Aid members circa 1966: Barbara Shea, Priscilla Hurlin, Marie Boorum, Ellie Lane and Mable Staples
Plans for the 1966 addition
1923 – Drs. Cutler, Foster, Harrington, Warner, the original medical team at MCH
1911 – National Guard Troops marching on Main Street
Special Care Nurses pictured: Donna Proudfoot, Mrs Mabel Larson, unknown, Jane McGettigan, Janet Andrews Dow, and Phyllis Phelps
1915 – Site work was labor intensive and involved both horse power and manual labor
1920s – Main Street
1961 – The early Hospital was made to look as much like a cheerful home as possible, with a small kitchen on each floor. As the Hospital grew, so did its dietary needs, leading to expansions. Marjorie Haselton was a MCH dietician from 1935-1974.
Group of medical surgical nurses from the 1970s
1950 – Medical Team
1979 – Medical Team 1979: William Collins, Mary Elizabeth Anderson, Robert Grassi, William Julian, Bruce I Brodkin, Theodore Lee, Paul Switzer, Robert Bailey, Franis M Woods, Louis Wiederhold, Watson Reid, Edward B Twitchell, Charles Seigel, John Patterson, Mark Kelley, Ian Ferrier
Nursing staff circa 1945 – Ethel Record, Nellie Evans, Maud Miles, Superintendent, Madelyn Hopkins, Mae Bunce, unknown, Marian Adams, Eveline Senechal, Leah Hill, Toini Jukua Taylor, Edie Johnson
In 1974 the Medical Team reaches 29 members. Pictured: Robert Slade, Alfred Chandler, D Glyn Millard, Herb Schofield, C Wozmak, Theodore Lee, Robert Bailey, Louis Wiederhold, Paul Switzer, Fred Richardson, Robert Wellwood, Edward B Twitchell, Robert Grassi, Owen Matthewson, Charles Seigel, Peter Jeffries, John Meehan, and Bruce I Brodkin
1991 hospital addition construction
1933 – The Hospital’s first X-ray machine was purchased in 1926, representing a scientific leap forward in diagnosis
Boston Med Flight takes off from the MCH parking lot after an in-service training session
1920s – Doctors at the train depot in Peterborough
The reception room, now the library
Plans for the 1966 addition
1923 – Opening day of the original hospital this photo appeared on the front page of the Peterborough Transcript on July 5, 1923. Drs. Keyes, Wesselhoeft, Smith, Cutler, Nutter, Warner, Stevens, Richards, Holmes, Hatch, Congdon, Tibetts, Cotton, Morse, Cheever, Pease, MacAusland, Harrington, Lowell, Parker, Grimes, Jameson, Wilkins, Jackson, Foster, Brown
Nurses sitting room 1930s
1979 – Medical Team 1979: William Collins, Mary Elizabeth Anderson, Robert Grassi, William Julian, Bruce I Brodkin, Theodore Lee, Paul Switzer, Robert Bailey, Franis M Woods, Louis Wiederhold, Watson Reid, Edward B Twitchell, Charles Seigel, John Patterson, Mark Kelley, Ian Ferrier
MCH Anniversary Article Series 1915-1923 MCH Anniversary Article Series 1923-1949MCH Anniversary Article Series 1950-1970 MCH Anniversary Article Series 1971-1991
Nestled in the heart of Peterborough, New Hampshire, Monadnock Community Hospital (MCH) stands as a testament to the enduring commitment to community health.
Opened in 1923, our hospital has been an unwavering pillar of support for the Monadnock Region. From its humble beginnings, MCH has evolved into a beacon of accessible, high-quality, and value-based healthcare. Our journey is interwoven with the community's growth, and our history reflects a continuous dedication to improving the health and vitality of those we serve.
From the tireless efforts of our healthcare professionals to the unwavering support of the community, MCH's history is a collaborative journey that echoes the values engraved in our mission.
Join us in celebrating the moments that have shaped Monadnock Community Hospital, where the past becomes a foundation for an even healthier and more vibrant future.
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