In 1938, a group of nine women led by Mary “Dove” Beeger appealed to the City Council of Redwood City for a community hospital to serve the residents of southern San Mateo County.
Eight years later, voters in Redwood City and six surrounding cities elected to form a hospital district and approved a pair of bonds that began the development of Sequoia Hospital, the first district hospital in California and the prototype from which 65 others would follow. The pioneering hospital, which first opened its doors in the fall of 1950, is now celebrating its 70th anniversary.
The occasion was recently marked with a 1950s-themed celebration at the hospital for physicians and staff, according to hospital officials.
In 2008, Dignity Health acquired the hospital from the Sequoia Healthcare District, and it recently partnered with that district on a $240 million expansion and modernization project that resulted with the 2014 opening of a state-of-the-art inpatient pavilion.
“For 70 years, Sequoia Hospital has been a cornerstone of Redwood City and the surrounding communities. We feel fortunate to have been part of so many people’s lives throughout the years,” Sequoia Hospital President Bill Graham said in a statement. “With all the changes throughout the years—including changes in ownership and a global pandemic—the thing that has never changed is the commitment of the people of this institution to care for generations of families.”
Photo credit: Dignity Health
