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A Brief History of Miners Medical Center
Miners Medical Center has a history of caring and providing quality health care for the communities in northern Cambria County and elsewhere. The hospital has seen a lot of changes since its humble beginnings. It was once called Miners Hospital of Northern Cambria, and was located in Spangler, Pennsylvania. It had its beginning when a committee first met in the office of Dr. T.D. Helfrick in Spangler on January 24, 1905. Members of the committee were Dr. Helfrick, , Dr. W. S. Wheeling of Spangler, Dr. G. R. Anderson of Barnesboro, C. F. Fraser of Altoona, John B. Reed of Bakerton, H. F. Bigler of Clearfield, James A. McClain of Spangler, Thomas Barnes of Barnesboro, and James Allport of Barnesboro.
| On February 28, 1905 the incorporators signed the original Application for Charter of the Miners Hospital of Northern Cambria. The land was donated by James McClain to build the proposed hospital. Fund Raising through public subscription began. Coal operators and businesses pledged the sum of $5,000, and they petitioned the local unions and their membership to aid in this effort to break ground. J.D. Ritter began construction on January 31, 1906, on a bid of $18,500. By July 1906, all funds had been depleted. |
Shortly after, the Pennsylvania Railroad subscribed $2,500, the largest amount received. Construction did not resume until September 7, 1907. In April 1908, the Board executed a mortgage of $8,000 in order to complete the hospital. Miners Hospital became incorporated on October 20, 1908, and in December of 1908, the Board elected Anna E. Brobson, a nurse from Philadelphia, as Superintendent of the hospital. On January 3, 1909 almost three years after the bid for construction was awarded, Daniel Campbell of Carrolltown, became the first patient to be admitted to Miners Hospital. The original hospital contained 30 beds. The daily patient cost was $2.00. The average daily census was 10, and the average patient stay was 16 days. The total operating expenditures were only $10,107.08 for the first year. The cost to equip and build the Miners Hospital of Northern Cambria was less than $30,000.
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Various phases of construction took place over the years. The South Wing was built in 1913 by J. R. Ritter. A porch and closets were also built for a total of $5,030. In 1919, a laundry and heating plant were built.
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In 1952, the Holton Wing was opened. The Laboratory was enlarged and an autopsy room added.
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The Nurses' home was constructed in 1924, but it was not used for nursing students until December, 1927. Remodeling took place in 1937, to include the obstetrics department and the construction of a tunnel from the hospital to the boiler room. In 1941, another tunnel was built to the Nurses' Home. In 1941, the hospital’s bed capacity was 99.
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November 1968, marked the opening of another wing that was also called the South Wing. The original South Wing was later known as the Main Wing consisting of Male & Female Wards and Private Hall.
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