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How a Laundry and a Bakery Became a Hospital
"The fear of meeting new difficulties is not to me a sufficient motive to withdraw from my mission." —Mother Joseph, 1877
The First Permanent Hospital in the Northwest Territories
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St. Joseph Hospital, 1858 |
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Mother Joseph |
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Nuns on Horseback |
More than 150 years ago at Fort Vancouver, Washington, a group of French Canadian nuns created a hospital out of a cabin that had been planned for use as a laundry and bakery. In return, the women of our community promised to support the care of patients.
On June 7, 1858, the Sisters of Providence opened St. Joseph Hospital, the first permanent hospital in the Northwest. The nuns were led by Sister Joseph, who later became known as Mother Joseph. During this period she wrote, "We must not expect great achievements in the near future, but we must be able to do what needs to be done ... to do what others do not want to do."
Early Hospital Amenities
In the room adjoining the bakery, rough boards were covered with lightweight muslin fabric and then with a simple wallpaper. The room was furnished with four beds, which Sister Joseph herself helped make, as well as four bedside tables and four chairs.
Hospital charges were $1 a day, and a year in the hospital was not unusual. A typical account was that of George C. Coffee:
- 110 days' admittance = $110
- 2 bottles of brandy and 6 bottles of whiskey = $8
- Burial expenses = $25
The need to provide care for pioneer women soon became critical, so a section with 3 beds just for women was added. That hospital has "come a long way, baby" during the past 150+ years — and is now known as Southwest Washington Medical Center.
 Watch a 6-minute video about Mother Joseph and Southwest's history.
Mother Joseph's Commitment
Mother Joseph traveled throughout the Northwest Territories of the late 1800s. She noted that it was not always easy to raise funds: "I don't know what you will do about raising cash to pay for the washing machine and other things we asked you to buy for us without giving you a single penny, besides warning you not to go into debt.... We could not help laughing at ourselves after you left." Yet under her leadership, more than 30 hospitals, homes and schools were created for the sick, the elderly, and orphans.
After being treated for breast cancer in 1899, Mother Joseph continued to travel throughout the region. But even the strongest individuals are tested by the challenges of cancer. A brain tumor finally forced her to retire, and she died in 1902.
Southwest continues to honor Mother Joseph's pioneering medicine spirit by providing exceptional medicine and extraordinary care for every person who comes to us. But we can't do it alone. We invite you to make a difference and support our mission. As Mother Joseph herself said, "If in making a foundation we wait until we do not have to deny ourselves, we shall never take on a new work, for we shall never be without work." Find out how you can help by contacting Southwest's Foundation at 360.514.3106.
Contact Us
Kearney Breast Center
200 NE Mother Joseph Place, Suite 420
Vancouver, WA 98665
360.514.6161 (Breast Center main number)
360.514.6164 (Nurse Navigator)
360.891.2642 (Radiologists)
360.213.9955 or 503.808.9803 (Southwest Medical Group Surgical Specialists)
360.989.3494 (Southwest Medical Group Plastic Surgery)
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