The History of Grays Harbor Public Health District No.1
Elma General Hospital 1898-1955
The first Elma hospital, built in 1898 by Dr. H. Blair, consisted of four rooms located on the corner of West Anderson and 4th St. There was a surgery, where all supplies were also stored, a two-bed men’s ward, a two-bed women’s ward, and the doctors’ office. There was no electricity and no modern plumbing, just a cold water tap at the back door. In 1913, Dr. Blair retired and Dr. C. W. Jones took over the hospital. By that time, electricity and modern plumbing had been installed.Click here to read more.
Second Elma Hospital (The French Hospital) Unknown – 1918
In the meantime, another hospital had been erected by Dr. E.T. French. It was located at 6th and Main Street where the current transit station stands. When Dr. Jones went off to serve during World War I, Dr. French oversaw both practices. In 1918, Dr. W.M. Conway bought out both Dr. Jones and Dr. French, closing the French Hospital. Information from: History of Elma by Elizabeth Brown, the narration of Mrs. Pearl S. Combs. Picture taken July 14, 1925.
McCleary General Hospital 1913-1955
The nine-bed McCleary General Hospital was completed in 1913 and, for the first time, the town had a physician. Dr. Burton E. Fleming and his wife, Louise, a registered nurse, moved from Aberdeen to staff the facility. McCleary Timber Company employees paid for medical service through monthly payroll deductions. Babies were delivered and surgeries were performed. The building still stands today as a home on Beck Street.
Click here to read more in the McCleary Journal. Click here to read more in the Elma Chronicle Article.
Mark E. Reed Memorial Hospital 1956 -2012
In 1948, William R. Reed, president of Simpson Timber Company, donated $100,000 to start a hospital fund in memory of Mark E. Reed, his father and previous president. Residents of East County also helped to raise additional start-up funds for the hospital project and formed a Board of Trustees in November 1949. On November 4, 1956, Mark E. Reed Memorial Hospital was dedicated. It was the first hospital in the state of Washington built without public funds in ten years. The hospital had a very active Ladies Auxiliary in the early years that worked hard to earn funds for the hospital supplies. They also had a sewing committee that made curtains for the rooms along with surgical and patient gowns.
Click here to read more.
Hospital District Formed 1982
In 1982, the District voters formed Mark Reed Hospital or Grays Harbor County Public Hospital District No. 1. Click here to read more.
Mark Reed Hospital, Expansion 1985
Three years later, in the spring of 1985, a new addition was completed which included the front office area, administrative offices, and the laboratory. Remodeling was also done in the original section of the building, resulting in the facility you see today.
This was the beginning of what was, with the local public’s help and involvement, a valuable community hospital.
The organization’s name was changed to Mark Reed Health Care District in the fall of 2007 to encompass the Critical Access Hospital, Mark Reed Health Care Clinic, and, as of March 1st, 2011, Elma Family Medicine.
Summit Pacific Medical Center, Opened February 2013
To meet the needs of a growing community and with the advancements in technology, district leadership began planning for the construction of a new facility. With the district in stable financial condition and the help of a USDA loan, a replacement facility was built in Elma and the organization rebranded. This new facility not only met the needs of today’s population but was built to serve the community for years to come. Construction began in 2011 and the district opened the doors to Summit Pacific Medical Center in February of 2013.
McCleary Healthcare Clinic, Opened April 2016
Following the closure of Mark Reed Hospital, Mark Reed Healthcare Clinic continued to operate out of the nearly 60-year-old building. Even before Summit Pacific Medical Center opened its doors, hospital leadership began dreaming of being able to provide McCleary patients with a new facility. The District was pleased to open the new 6,000 square-foot building in April of 2016.
Summit Pacific Wellness Center, Opened January 2019
To make an impact on the health and wellness of the community, Summit Pacific invested $31 million into Grays Harbor County by building a three-story, 60,000 square-foot facility. The construction of this center added over 80 new jobs to our community. The new facility provided the space and infrastructure needed to bring in more healthcare providers, equipment, and services. It provided the room needed to work more closely with community partners to bring in additional specialty resources and knowledge for those living and raising their families in Grays Harbor. The facility’s grand opening was held on January 25, 2019.
