https://findingaids.library.upenn.edu/records/SMREP_GHS.27

Germantown Hospital records

A medical dispensary was started in the Germantown section of Philadelphia in 1863, and seven years later the doors of Germantown Hospital opened to the public. In 1997 the hospital was acquired by Einstein medical group, and it was merged into Albert Einstein Medical Center in 1999.

Description

Where the collection came from, what's inside, and how you can use it.

Biography/History

On September 23, 1863, twelve prominent gentlemen of the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia met for the purpose of establishing a medical dispensary. During the Civil War, the Germantown Hospital Association contributed to the Women's Pennsylvania Branch of the Sanitary Commission, an organization that helped coordinate medical care for the Union Army (Merritt). Germantown Hospital opened its doors in 1870. The doctors there maintained their own practices, but also provided free medical care to the needy (Callard 86). In 1997 Germantown Hospital was acquired by Einstein medical group, and it was merged into Albert Einstein Medical Center in 1999.

Bibliography:

Callard, Judith. Images of America: Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia, 2000.

Merritt, Jen. "Wisters and Fishers in the Civil War." Belfield & Wakefield: A Link to LaSalle's Past. 1994. Accessed February 29, 2012. http://www.lasalle.edu/commun/history/articles/wfcivil.htm

Scope and Content

The collection consists of meeting minutes spanning from 1863 to 1997, as well as correspondence, legal documents, forms, contracts, staff applications, pamphlets, and other miscellaneous documents, circa 1960-1994.

In addition to Germantown Hospital minute books (1863-1991), this collection also contains minutes from the Women's Board of the Germantown Hospital (1920-1997), and from various committees.

Most of the other materials in this collection are organized into files by subject. The subjects relate to hospital administration, construction projects, personnel, legal issues, and other topics.

There is a small amount of material separate from the subject files. Several newspaper clippings scrapbooks (1961-1969) are devoted to the Rose Carnival, an annual fundraiser organized by the Women's Board. There are also annual reports spanning the years 1949 to 1973. Finally, there is a set of files belonging to Earle Barber, the hospital's attorney. The files primarily contain legal documents and materials relating to merger with Einstein Hospital, circa 1997-1999.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Germantown Hospital, 2009.

Rights and citation

Publisher
Germantown Historical Society
Sponsor
This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Finding aids author
Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Michael Gubicza through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories

Subjects and headings

Inventory

Everything in this collection, in the order the archivist chose to help you understand it.

Contact

These materials are held by Germantown Historical Society. Contact them to schedule a visit or ask about your research.

Address
5501 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19144
Email
small_repositories@hsp.org

Philadelphia Area Archives

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