At Martha Jefferson Hospital, we are celebrating 100 years of service to the communities of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the surrounding region of Central Virginia. We were founded in September 1903 by seven local physicians, and in July 1904 the new hospital opened its doors. In observance of these milestone dates, our Centennial celebration is spanning September 2003 through July 2004. Our hospital's history is depicted on a wall graphic in the lobby of our new Outpatient Care Center,and a variety of Centennial events are planned throughout.

Martha Jefferson Hospital is observing 100 years of service to the community. Our Centennial period began in September 2003, in observance of our founding, and will extend through July 2004, marking 100 years since the hospital opened its doors. Our rich history is depicted on a wall of the Outpatient Care Center lobby. The Outpatient Care Center, located at Peter Jefferson Place on Route 250 East near the I-64 interchange, is the first structure of the planned, new Martha Jefferson healthcare campus. The opening of this center signaled the start of the Hospital's Centennial Celebration and points to the future of Martha Jefferson Hospital and the next 100 years.

Prologue

Jefferson and Pantops

Peter Jefferson Place is part of a tract of land that was given by Crown Grant in 1734 to the father of explorer William Clark of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition. In 1746, Peter Jefferson, the father of Thomas Jefferson, acquired the land and added it to his estate Shadwell. Thomas Jefferson inherited the land in 1756, and in 1777 he added more of the Clark land to his holdings. Thomas Jefferson named the farm Pantops (meaning "all seeing") because of its perspective on the village of Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge Mountains. In a letter of June 8, 1797, Mr. Jefferson wrote to his eldest daughter Martha that he intended to give the property to Maria, his youngest daughter, when she married John W. Eppes. Mr. Jefferson wrote: "I think to open and resettle the plantation of Pantops for them." Following Maria Jefferson Eppes' death, in 1815 Mr. Jefferson sold the land to James Leitch of Richmond. Since that time, the land has had various owners and uses, including as the site of a boys' academy in the late 19th century.

In 1974, the land was purchased by Gene and Anne Worrell, and the Worrells gained approval from Albemarle County in 1996 to create Peter Jefferson Place.

It is our aim to make this institution a blessing to this community.

--Dr. J. Hamilton Browning, 1906
A Martha Jefferson Hospital Founder

1900
Population of Charlottesville is 6,449; Albemarle County, 28,437.
There are no hospitals - doctors care for patients in their homes.

September 21, 1903
Seven physicians establish The Martha Jefferson Sanatorium Association, Incorporated, named for the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and great-great-grandmother of William M. Randolph, MD, one of the founders. The other founding physicians are: Hugh T. Nelson, Edward M. Magruder, J. Hamilton Browning, William D. Macon, Charles S. Venable and Halstead S. Hedges.

October 1903
The State Corporation Commission grants a charter for the new hospital.

May 1904
The Board of Directors votes to inaugurate a training school for nurses that meets Virginia requirements. The course of instruction is set for three years, and subjects include: anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, therapeutics, surgery, practice of medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, biology, bacteriology, pathology, hygiene and massage.

July 11, 1904
The newly constructed 25-bed hospital is opened at 919 East High Street at a cost of $8,637. Semi-private room rate, $14 per week; $15-20 for a private room. Dr. Browning performs the first surgery, an emergency appendectomy.

July 29, 1904
The Daily Progress reports, "The new Martha Jefferson Sanatorium, on High Street, now has fifteen patients, many of whom are from a distance."

January 9, 1905
Dr. Browning states in the first annual hospital report:

I have the honor of presenting to you the following report of work accomplished, and our financial standing, from July 11th, 1904, day of opening, to December 31st, 1904, about six months. The work and worry of organizing I will leave to your imagination; and say by the efficient and harmonious support of the Staff we have organized a very able Corpse (sic), consisting of Superintendent, Resident Physician, House Keeper, and six pupil nurses. . . . By close economy we have gotten equipped so far for $15,900, instead of $18,000 as estimated.

Our Treasurer's report shows we have received from patients $3,080.66 and our expenses have been $2,823.75 giving us a balance of $256.91. . . .

I wish to extend my thanks to the Staff and Corpse for the courtesy and consideration shown me, and to say, so far as I know peace and harmony have prevailed.

January 10, 1910
Several improvements were reported by Dr. Magruder in his annual report to the Stockholders:

A Hennery . . . has been erected in the back yard, at a cost of $70.76. This has been a good investment enabling the management to buy poultry at an advantage from the market wagons and adding a good deal to the egg supply at no extra cost.

A new X-ray apparatus has been added at a cost of $280.85 which was also an absolute necessity and has been of great benefit and convenience to the institution besides being an excellent investment.

1917
The sanatorium name is changed to Martha Jefferson Hospital Inc.

1917-1918
The United States enters World War I in April 1917, and nineteen months later, on November 11, 1918, war is declared over.

1918
Influenza pandemic crowds the Hospital to capacity, with patients lining even corridors and porches; nurses work 12 to 15 hours a day.

1928
Mr. and Mrs. James Addison Patterson donate $100,000 for the purpose of building a new hospital. In December construction begins at High Street and Locust Avenue.

1929
Private Duty Nursing Rates, effective June 1, 1929 (12-hr. duty)

General Nursing, $5.00
Obstetrics, $6.00
Contagious and Typhoid and Pneumonia, $6.00
Alcoholics, Addicts and Mental, $7.00
Assisting in Operations and Obstetric cases, $5.00 - $10.00
All traveling expenses are to be paid by the patient.

October 29, 1929
The stock market crashes, and America is plunged into the Great Depression.

December 9, 1929
The new, 50-bed hospital is opened. The Daily Progress reports:

The new $100,000 Martha Jefferson Hospital . . . was formally opened this morning. All equipment and patients were moved from the old building Saturday. The new plant . . . is well and modernly equipped. Eleven rooms have already been furnished by funds from people interested in the institution. The structure itself is considered one of the handsomest in the city. The old hospital will be utilized as a home for nurses.

Martha Jefferson Hospital is reorganized as a not-for-profit community hospital.

1931
Mr. Patterson donates a Cadillac, which is converted to an ambulance. The charge for an ambulance call in the city is $3; in the county, $5 for the first mile and $0.50 per mile after that.

1932
Surgeon Arthur M. Smith becomes the first board-certified specialist on staff and supervises medical records.

December 19, 1941
William James Rucker dies, leaving the hospital $400,000.

1941-1945
The United States enters World War II on December 8, 1941. Victory in Europe is declared on May 8, 1945, and WWII ends on September 2, 1945 with the surrender of Japan.

1942
The hospital operations report of December 31, 1942 relates challenges of staffing during wartime:

There was a total of 28 resignations from the nursing staff in 1942. . . Because of the shortage of graduate nurses the hospital has been unable to replace nurses who have left. The Red Cross Nurse Aides have been a great help with the routine work of the wards.

The following Doctors have left and are now serving in the Armed Forces:
Dr. Arthur M. Smith
Dr .Byrd Leavell
Dr. Slaughter Fitzhugh
Dr. R.G. Magruder
Dr. W.H. Paine
Dr. W.H. Wood

1945
In the postwar boom, discussions begin about expanding the hospital.

March 20, 1954
The Rucker wing is opened, providing for expansion of all hospital services and additional bed capacity, now totaling 116. Touted among the new hospital's features are: a new X-ray department; shiny, new operating rooms; a newborn nursery and maternity department; an elevator system that operates quietly and stops automatically at floors; rooms for patient care "that you'd expect to see in a first-rate hotel"; a nurse call system; and a kitchen large enough to prepare 600 meals a day.

1964
Hospital capacity is expanded with a 20-bed addition to the Rucker wing. At the same time, a new recovery room is added adjacent to operating rooms.

We have always been proud of the excellent nursing and hospital care given patients here. There was the question whether, if the hospital grew bigger, we would lose this excellent personal care. The staff voted not to limit at this time the size of the hospital or the size of the staff.

- Arthur M. Smith, MD, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, in a Daily Progress news report

1967
Martha Jefferson establishes a cardiac monitoring unit, forerunner of the present-day critical care unit.

1969
First full-time pharmacist is hired; inhalation therapy begins; physical therapy becomes available.

In response to rapid population growth in the Charlottesville area, Martha Jefferson Hospital announces a fund-raising campaign to respond to the "urgent need" for additional beds and facilities.

Martha Jefferson Hospital has been providing excellent care of this area for the past sixty-five years. A hospital cannot stand still.
-- John R. Morris Jr., MD, President of the Board of Trustees

You and I have an opportunity to help in a great community cause, a cause that is of vital importance to the health and welfare of our community and surrounding area.
-- Claude A. Jessup, Campaign Chairman

1972-1977
Construction of the South wing is completed in phases and put into use, and the Rucker wing is modernized. The South wing is dedicated on July 11, 1977, the Hospital's 73rd anniversary. The new building provides new and larger clinical space for medical imaging, laboratory, surgery and post-surgical recovery, emergency care, intensive care, pharmacy and other clinical support services.

1982
The Emergency Department is expanded again, with physician coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1983
An eight-bed step-down unit, the forerunner of the present-day telemetry care unit, is established to provide another level of care for patients recovering from a critical illness.

1984
Martha Jefferson establishes HomeCare, a home health agency.

1989
Mammography service is begun and ultrasound service is expanded. Cardiac rehabilitation is established.

1988-1989
Leaders make plans to accommodate growth in outpatient medical care, spurred by advances in medicine and surgery, and an influx of new medical technologies.

1990-1992
Martha Jefferson Hospital undergoes an expansion and renovation project that results in inpatient care improvements with the addition of two floors to create two 30-bed nursing units. Critical care and post-anesthesia care units are also expanded and renovated. A state-of-the-art magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) unit is installed. At the same time, outpatient care services are expanded in response to need and are centralized in the Cardwell Center for patient convenience. These services include outpatient medical imaging, endoscopy, day surgery, and physical and occupational therapy. The Cancer Care Center is created with the start up of radiation oncology and relocation of infusion therapy, medical oncology and cancer support services to the Cardwell Center.

The Cardwell Center opens in July 1992; it is named in memory of James Robert (Jay) Cardwell, the father of Mrs. K.K. Knickerbocker, a longtime benefactor of the Hospital.

1991
Martha Jefferson Hospital's cancer care program gains recognition by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

1993
The first annual Martha's Market, organized by The Women's Committee, is launched. In the first nine years this fund-raising event contributes $1.25 million to Martha Jefferson Hospital's breast health outreach programs and other important initiatives to improve women's health.

1997
As the first wave of Baby Boomers turns 50, Martha Jefferson Hospital establishes HealthWise, a program for adults 50 and older, to encourage a healthier senior population through disease prevention and healthy lifestyles.

Martha Jefferson Hospital expands its cardiology services by establishing a diagnostic cardiac catheterization laboratory in cooperation with the University of Virginia.

A system-wide endeavor begins to build an integrated, state-of-the-art clinical information system to make information readily available to caregivers and to streamline critical decision-making regarding patient care.

2000
Hospital leaders conduct an extensive planning process and establish a course for meeting the community's short-term and long-term healthcare needs as the Hospital nears its 100th anniversary. The initiatives are focused on attracting and retaining the very best staff (people), providing the most advanced care with state-of-the-art technologies (practices), and providing facilities that meet the needs of both patient and caregiver for privacy, efficiency and comfort (places).

December 2000
Martha Jefferson receives recognition for being among the "100 Top Hospitals" in the nation for excellence in quality of care, efficiency of operations and sustainability of overall performance.

January 2001
Vascular and Interventional Radiology opens, offering a new range of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic services to Martha Jefferson patients.

Robotic technology arrives at the hospital pharmacy for filling patients' medications orders, a proven patient safety measure.

April 2001
Martha Jefferson Health Services agrees to purchase 84 acres of land at Peter Jefferson Place from Gene and Anne Worrell for future expansion.

October 2001
The American College of Radiology awards accreditation to the radiation oncology service, making Martha Jefferson Hospital one of only four hospitals in the state to receive this prestigious quality accreditation.

February 2002
The future begins to take shape as ground is broken for the 94,000 sq. ft. Outpatient Care Center at Peter Jefferson Place.

July 2002
Martha Jefferson is ranked among "America's Best Hospitals" for 2002 by U.S. News & World Report.

September 2002
Patients rank their satisfaction with Martha Jefferson Hospital the highest in the nation in the category "patients recommending to friends and relatives," as measured by a national survey firm.

July 2003
Martha Jefferson expands cardiology services by offering cardiac angioplasty and stent placement.

September 2003
The Outpatient Care Center is dedicated, and a celebration of the hospital's founding begins.

Sources of Information:

Martha Jefferson Hospital: A Story of the First Seventy-Five Years, 1903-1978, by Roger Gregory Magruder, M.D., 1985, Science Press, Ephrata, PA.

Virginia House Tour, Baughmann Co., Richmond

Martha Jefferson Hospital minute books

Martha Jefferson Hospital archives and publications

The Daily Progress

Special thanks for their insights and helpfulness to:
Charles H. Gleason, MD, and Mrs. Elizabeth Gleason
Thomas J. Kelly
Ann C. Nickels
Donald D. Sandridge
White McK.Wallenborn, MD
Mary E. Wheeler, RN

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