St. Bernard Hospital (Chicago, Ill.) records, 1881-1991.

  • Creator Names Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph.
  • Title St. Bernard Hospital (Chicago, Ill.) records, 1881-1991.
  • Physical description 9 linear feet.
  • Collection arrangement This fonds consists of 13 series and five subseries: Minutes of meetings (Minutes of board of directors meetings, Minutes of philosophy committee meetings, Minutes of staff meetings), Reports (Annual reports to the board, Miscellaneous reports), Financial records, Real property records, Estate records, Contracts and other material, Insurance policies, Charters, articles of incorporation and by laws, Patient registers, Invitations and other material, Photographs, Audio-visual records, Publications, and Miscellaneous.
  • Access and usage restrictions Some restrictions. See series, subseries, and file descriptions for details.
  • Collection summary This fonds consists of the records created and received by St. Bernard Hospital between its foundation in 1903 and 1991. Records predating 1903 also can be found in the fonds, in the form of real property records created prior to 1903 and given to the Sisters or Father Murray at the time of purchase of the land. Close examination of accession 92.40 revealed that it contained the records of three different organizations, and, thus, three separate fonds: St. Bernard Hospital Community, St. Bernard Hospital, and St. Bernard's School of Nursing. The records described in file list 84.10 also originated from these fonds. Consequently, all the records belonging to the Hospital fonds were reunited, and, since the original order was impossible to reconstruct, divided into series and subseries based on documentary form or function.
  • Biographical or Historical Note Two years after the arrival, at Father Bernard Murray's request, of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph in Chicago, a new hospital building was completed. Opened on 21 November 1905, the hospital was named St. Bernard's Hotel Dieu, in honour of Father Murray's patron saint. The Sisters admitted their first patient on 27 December 1905. In the years that followed, numerous expansion projects were undertaken. In 1947 a new power plant, laundry, and pathology lab were completed. In 1957 a new kitchen and cafeteria were opened. Also in 1957, the sisters embarked on an ambitious construction project, the aim of which was the creation of new administration, lab, out patient, emergency, x-ray, surgery, and bed space. Dubbed Sacred Heart Pavilion, the addition was completed in 1962. In 1974 work began on another major addition, this one on the grounds once occupied by St. Bernard School of Nursing. Completed in the fall of 1976, this new west wing housed intensive care and obstetrical units. A new emergency department was opened in 1983. In response to overcrowding, the RHSJ purchased the Auburn Park Community Hospital in 1938. Located on Winneconna Parkway and renamed St. George Hospital, St. Bernard's only mission opened in February 1939 under the leadership of the St. George Corporation. A new wing was added in 1952. Again, in response to overcrowding, renovation plans were proposed. These were later abandoned in favour of relocation. The administration realized that the Hospital could not meet accreditation standards, and the decision was made to build a new facility on the Sisters' property in Palos Heights. The new hospital, operated by the St. George Corporation, opened in 1972, construction having begun in 1970. In 1962, the hospital changed its name to St. Bernard Hospital. Until 1973 the administrator also served as the Community's superior. At this time, Joseph Thomas was appointed the Hospital's first lay administrator. The position continued to be held by a layperson until 1990, when Sister Elizabeth Van Straten was appointed CEO. In 1984 the Hospital became a member of the RHSJ Health System.
  • Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Permission for publication must be obtained from the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Province Archives, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
  • Location of Other Archival Materials Note
    • St. Bernard Hospital Community (Chicago, Ill.) records, 1903-1992.
    • St. Bernard's School of Nursing (Chicago, Ill.) records, 1906-1975.
  • Finding Aids Note Finding aid available in repository; series level.
  • Names
    • Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph Archives.
    • St. Bernard Hospital (Chicago, Ill.) Archives.
    • St. Bernard Hospital (Chicago, Ill.) Records and correspondence.
    • Loyola University Chicago. Archives.
  • Subjects
    • Hospitals Administration.
    • Catholic hospitals.