Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital is proud to be celebrating 70 years of providing high quality and compassionate care to the community.

Built at the corner of Wheeling Street and Navarre Avenue for a total of $5.25 million, St. Charles opened its doors to the first patients on Oct. 19, 1953, with 201 beds, six operating rooms and 40 bassinets. On the first day of operation, 10 patients were cared for within the brand-new facility.

Mercy Health is excited to welcome the family of St. Charles’ first admitted patient, Lester Christian, to celebrate this milestone anniversary. Judy and Joe Zargo will join the Mercy Health team to celebrate seven decades of providing good help to those in need.

“Seventy years to the day after admitting our first patient, we are pleased to be welcoming back his family to celebrate with our team the many years of health care that has been offered here at St. Charles,” said Craig Albers, president, Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital. “Since our inception, St. Charles Hospital has grown and expanded, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone with the teams and the patients who make this hospital the caring place that it is.”

St. Charles Hospital was dedicated on Nov. 8, 1953, with a celebration that lasted four days during which more than 15,000 community members toured the new facility. Named in honor of Archbishop Karl J. Alter of Cincinnati, the hospital has served thousands of patients and is now home to emergency, orthopedic, acute rehabilitation, behavioral health, and cardiac rehabilitation services among others.

“Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital has a long history of mission-based work in our communities, not only through providing nationally-recognized care but also through the many partnerships we have with community organizations,” said Jeffrey Ziviski, CFO, Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital.

As we celebrate this milestone, Mercy Health wants to thank our providers, nurses, and entire hospital staff for the high-quality, compassionate care that they give every day to those in the Oregon community and beyond.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital will host a special anniversary celebration beginning at noon in the main lobby of the hospital.

Mercy Health — St. Charles Hospital is a department of Mercy Health — St. Vincent Medical Center.