MCH Throwback Thursdays: A Journey Through Our History
Join us every Thursday as we take a journey through the rich history of Monadnock Community Hospital. Our Throwback Thursday series is a celebration of the milestones and moments that have shaped our commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care to our community. From our humble beginnings over a century ago to the innovations and expansions that define us today, we invite you to reflect on the stories that have made MCH a cornerstone of health and well-being in our region.
Historical Highlights
The Foundation Year – 1923:
Our journey began in 1923, when Monadnock Community Hospital first opened its doors. This was a time when healthcare was becoming increasingly vital, and our hospital was established with the goal of providing essential care to the local community. The early years were marked by a spirit of innovation and dedication that continues to inspire us today.
Expansion and Growth – 1950s:
The 1950s were a pivotal decade for MCH. We expanded our facilities to meet the growing needs of the community, adding new departments and services. This era was characterized by significant advancements in medical technology and a commitment to patient-centered care. These expansions laid the groundwork for the comprehensive services we offer today.
A Century of Service – 2023:
In 2023, we celebrated our 100th anniversary, a testament to our enduring commitment to the health and well-being of our community. Over the past century, we have evolved to meet the changing healthcare needs, but our mission has remained constant: to provide compassionate, high-quality care to every patient.
Reflecting on our history allows us to appreciate the journey that has brought us here. Each milestone is a reminder of our enduring commitment to our community. Join us every Thursday as we continue to explore the stories and events that have defined Monadnock Community Hospital.
What is Throwback Thursday?
Throwback Thursday, often abbreviated as #TBT, is a popular social media trend where users share nostalgic photos, memories, or stories from the past. It’s a way to reflect on and celebrate the history and experiences that have shaped who we are today. At Monadnock Community Hospital, our Throwback Thursday posts provide a window into our rich history, reminding us of the enduring values and milestones that continue to guide our mission of providing exceptional care to our community.
Get Involved: Your Journey Through History Starts Now
Join us next Thursday for another dose of history.
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[post_content] => The collegial years of the hospital’s history, feeling both the stress and the opportunities associated with progress.
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The 1970s saw continued growth at the hospital. In 1974 the Medical Team reached 29 members, with new doctors tending toward specialty practices including a new birthing center. In 1974 MCH was the second hospital in the country to offer water births. In 1977 MCH elected their first female Board President, Dorothy Peterson, who served on the Board of Trustees from 1975-1980.
In April 1979 the Catherine Hodgen Memorial addition cost $900,000 ($3,627,964.88 adjusted*). This addition included a new ambulance entrance, expansion in the emergency department, new facilities for outpatient surgery, updated admissions office, new record room, double size conference room, extra x-ray storage space, enlarged areas for both physical and respiratory therapy, and added a new doctors’ office building.
In the 1980s the Hospital Auxiliaries held fundraisers such as Christmas fairs, bake sales, open houses, fashion shows, and annual Regattas. They also held pancake breakfasts, a gay 90s gala, barbershop quartets, and jazz bands. In July 1983 the first Regatta was held on Contoocook Lake. It involved sailboat, canoe, and creative craft races, sack races, tug of war competition, and water balloon tossing. In 1984 the Friends of the Hospital donated a mammography unit. In 1984 New England Business Services Inc. funded the $10,000 purchase of an IBM personal computer. An average of $25,000 ($67,996.24 adjusted*) was donated during this decade.
Average length of hospital stay 1981:
National average 7.0 days
MCH 4.5 days
The average length of stay at MCH decreased from 4.7 days in 1980 to 4.5 in 1981. The national average was 7.0 days for hospitals the size of MCH. The average total cost per stay at MCH was well below average at that time.
There were many advances in technology in the 1980s. In 1982 laser eye surgery was performed for the first time at MCH by Dr. Theodore Renna. Previously patients had to travel to Boston for this procedure. In June 1983 MCH developed an infant car seat rental program, responding to the New Hampshire Child Passenger Safety Law. In 1984 the First Medical Flight from MCH took place, in partnership with UMass Medical Center in Worcester. In 1989 MCH purchased their first CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scan machine, added on a nuclear medicine room, and the first laparoscopic surgery was performed. In 1989 MCH opened a Hospice Room becoming one of the first hospitals in NH to designate room specifically for hospice care.
In 1989 fundraising began for another expansion. The hospital incurred long-term debt for the first time in its history. The expansion was funded with $4.5 million ($9,972,555.07 adjusted*) borrowed dollars, $2 million from donations from the community ($4,432,246.70 adjusted*), $1.9 million was from the depreciation reserve fund ($4,210,634.36 adjusted*), and $300,000 ($664,837.00 adjusted*) was interest earned by bond money before it was spent. The expansion increased square footage by 50,000 sq. ft. The new wing doubled the hospital’s size and included three operating rooms, adjacent outpatient rooms, as well as a preoperative and postoperative rooms. Today, this new wing is known as the Medical Arts Building.
*adjusted for 2022 dollars
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History - Monadnock Community Hospital
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MCH Anniversary Series 1971-1991
The early years of the Hospital saw significant advances in the science of anesthesia, from the introduction of anesthesia machines in the 1930s to new, safer anesthetic drugs, devices that made intubation safer and more effective, and the introduction of the first intravenous anesthetics.
1950s
$2 office visit
($24.29 adjusted)
$3 house call
($36.43 adjusted)
In the 1950s Dr. Albert Chandler performed house calls which equaled his time spent in office appointments. He charged $2 per office visit ($24.29 adjusted rate today) or $3 per house call ($36.43 adjusted.)
Early on the Hospital was made to look as much like a cheerful home as possible, with a small kitchen on each floor. The rooms had fireplaces and carpets for comfort. The reception room had comfortable seating and often had fresh flowers. The old reception room is now the library and looks much the same.
Average per patient day during 1960s inflation:
Short term, general, and special hospitals
$41.58 ($397.67 adjusted*)
MCH
$38.84 ($371.46 adjusted*)
In the 1960s rapid population growth in the Monadnock region led to a hospital census at 100%. There was a shortage of patient rooms available. A fundraising campaign for a major million dollar expansion began in 1963. The average contribution from the community was $940 ($8,990.08 adjusted*) from doctors, $320 ($3,060.45 adjusted*) from small businesses, $97 ($927.70 adjusted*) from local families, and $75 ($717.29 adjusted*) from employees. On March 23, 1965 groundbreaking ceremonies were held. The addition increased capacity to 75 beds from the 1949 expansion leaving MCH with 55 beds.
1963 capital campaign average contributions:
Doctors
$940 ($8,990.08 adjusted*)
Small businesses
$320 ($3,060.45 adjusted*)
Local families
$97 ($927.70 adjusted*)
Employees
$75 ($717.29 adjusted*)
At the close of the fundraising campaign Dr. George Stewart said: “We are aware not only of the out-poured generosity of the living givers but, at the same time, are reminded also of the superb people who have befriended this institution in years that are gone and who have left us as grateful legatees some portion of their spirit. Over and above that material resources given by such citizens is the sense of trusteeship, the responsibility for the common good, the traits of character they have bestowed to help build in the community its distinguishing character as a worthy region. For all of these we are truly grateful.”
In the 1960s the Hospital’s Auxiliary supplied 5-inch television sets that could be rolled into patient rooms on a cart for $1 a day ($9.89 adjusted*). In 1964 the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra began playing a benefit for the hospital each year. In 1968 a Chrysanthemum Ball was first held as a fundraiser. They were the first black tie, gala raising funds for MCH. The attendance fee was $10 per person ($84.10 adjusted*). In 1973 the Golden Anniversary Ball celebrated the 50th anniversary.
*adjusted for 2022 dollars
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History - Monadnock Community Hospital
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MCH Anniversary Series 1950-1970
On June 21, 1923 the front page of the Peterborough Transcript proudly proclaimed:
"The Peterborough Hospital, which opens its doors to the public today, Thursday, June 21st, is something which has been in the minds and thoughts of some of our citizens for a long time and at last the realizations of these plans and dreams have come to pass..."
The highly anticipated opening day of The Peterborough Hospital was a monumental occasion. Over 750 people attended the festivities on opening day to see the new facility that would become a center for medical excellence in the Monadnock region. A visiting physician toured the newly built hospital and told the Peterborough Transcript:
“A finer location, better arranged, more completely equipped, up to the minute, modern hospital than this one cannot be found anywhere.”
At this time there were 47 consulting physicians that came to the Hospital from all over New England, as far away as Boston. They would take the train into town. The most common vehicle at the time was the Model T.
In the first month (1923)
- 4 births
- 9 average patients a day
- 36 operations
- 40 patients admitted
- 274 patient days
Within the first 11 months of operation, it was clear that the Peterborough Hospital was a needed service for the community, with patient numbers increasing daily. During this time there were an average of nine patients per day at the hospital. (Patients days are defined as a calendar day a patient is admitted in the hospital.) The first baby born was a healthy boy from Nashua, he was born at 3 AM on July 1, 1923 by Caesarean section. In the first 15 years of operation (ending in 1938) there were 7,525 persons admitted, and 80,559 patient days total.
In 1927 nine towns accepted a share in the future maintenance of the hospital. The breakdown of the amount pledged by each town follows: Peterborough $68,225.35 ($1,147,502.68 adjusted*), Jaffrey $12,751 ($214,462.90 adjusted*), Dublin $12,750 ($214,446.08 adjusted*), Hancock $3,501 ($58,884.3 adjusted*), Antrim $3,295.50 ($55,428.01 adjusted*), Bennington $2,056 ($34,580.48 adjusted*), Temple $1,224.25 ($20,591.03 adjusted*), Greenfield $655 ($11,016.64 adjusted*), and Harrisville $53.25 ($895.63 adjusted*). The community support from these surrounding towns set the framework for what would be incredible philanthropic support for decades to come.
Hospital Stats: 1923- 2903 patient days
- 274 admissions
- 43 births
- 1675 patient days
- 1844 admissions
- 286 births
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. Arthur Wheeler of Jellison Funeral Home never lost a patient in transit despite only having Red Cross first aid training.
1946 was a time of transformation and growth as the Peterborough Hospital changed its name to Monadnock Community Hospital. There was a continuing need for increased services, with the hospital running full census (full capacity) in 1934. The tight finances during World War II made expansion a challenge. By 1946 the Hospital was often beyond capacity. The community donated food from their victory gardens, and raised money with donations, benefits, bequests, investments, state funds, and more. In 1949 the North Wing addition began, which was going to increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 19 beds to 55. When the North Wing was completed in 1950 Monadnock Community Hospital was considered one of the finest in New England.
Profits 1937net operating loss $12,000
(-$243,879 adjusted*)
1949
profit $691.41
($8,501 adjusted*)
2022
net gain
$2,897,000
*adjusted for 2022 dollars [gallery ids="37055,37050,37048,37068,37052,37069"] History - Monadnock Community Hospital [post_title] => A Trip Down Memory Lane: 1923-1949 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => a-trip-down-memory-lane-with-monadnock-community-hospital-1923-1949 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-10 18:12:55 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-10 22:12:55 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://monadnockcommunityhospital.com/?p=36238 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 36224 [post_author] => 2 [post_date] => 2023-05-16 12:04:20 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-05-16 16:04:20 [post_content] => [gallery columns="4" ids="37046,37064,37065,37066"] MCH Anniversary Series 1923-1949 A time of development for the hospital’s history and the Peterborough area. The history of Monadnock Community Hospital goes all the way back to 1917 when community members asked Robert Parmelee to donate his unoccupied summer home to the town of Peterborough to become a community hospital. In 1873 the first American hospital survey located only 178 hospitals in the country. People who were ill were treated at home or went to the poorhouse/almshouse. Household medicine was nearly identical to hospital treatment. In the early 20th century major scientific advances were made in germ theory, antiseptic surgery, clinical pathology, x-ray, and more. Acute care was centered in hospitals, such as the ones closest to Peterborough in Keene, Nashua, and Fitchburg, MA. There was little chance for a rapid medical response or immediate physician contact in our small rural community. In 1915 Robert M Parmelee and his wife Alice Elizabeth Parker Parmelee began to build Evergreen, their summer home in Peterborough. It was situated on 70 acres with a beautiful view of Monadnock. Site work was a labor-intensive operation in the early 1900s. Horse power went hand in hand with manual labor. In 1917 the home’s value was assessed at $35,776 ($353,718.08 adjusted*): “It can be established that it will be supported by the people of Peterborough and the adjacent country, if they can be made to feel that it is theirs and so conducted that they (the residents) will be proud of it.” – Robert Parmelee World War I slowed progress on the fundraising and conversion of the home to a hospital. In December 1918, 185 generous community members pledged $10,330.40 ($200,215.35 adjusted*) for each year over a period of five years. In March 1919 Mrs. Benjamin P. Cheney and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kauffman underwrote the entire $200,000 ($3,876,236.20 adjusted*) needed to renovate the Parmelee house and equip it as a hospital. Robert Parmelee wrote, “I am so glad to have my friends and neighbors share with me in this, which will make us all, I trust, better neighbors, better friends.” On March 28, 1919 the first meeting of the Peterborough Hospital Corporation was held. After many contributions from the war-burdened community and the efforts of many committee members and skilled craftsmen, the Peterborough Hospital opened its doors to begin caring for the community on June 21, 1923. There were few rural communities the size of the Monadnock region that could boast having its own modern hospital.| Room rates 1923: | ||
| Room with three beds (ward): $2.50 ($42.79 adjusted*) | Private room: $3.50-5.00 ($59.90-$85.57 adjusted*) | Private room with bath: $7.00/day ($119.80 adjusted*) |
| Doctors: | |||
| 1923: | |||
| 4 permanent doctors | 12 associate physicians | 47 medical consultants | |
| 1974: 29 members medical team | |||
| 2023: 108 active doctors | 41 associate doctors | ||
Monadnock Community Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital offering Primary Care, Medical and Surgical Care, Obstetrics, Pediatrics, and Behavioral Health services. In addition, a wide variety of outpatient services are available, including an extensive Primary Care Network, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Cardiac and Physical Rehabilitation Services, 24-hour Emergency Care, Oncology, Occupational Health, a fully equipped laboratory and an extensive Radiology department. MCH is very fortunate to have strong leadership and a dedicated medical community that allows us to meet the ever-changing requirements of today's healthcare environment. As that environment changes, MCH is also committed to changing and providing the communities we serve with appropriate and innovative programs.
*adjusted for 2022 dollars
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