The Morristown Memorial Hospital was organized and incorporated in 1892 in order to serve the local Morris County community. Before the creation of the hospital there had been no institution providing medical treatment in the County, though there were some organizations providing basic services. The hospital's first property and building were received as a gift from a local resident who left her house on DeHart Street to the town. This resident had been impressed by the service she received from a hospital in another county. The hospital soon moved to Morris Street after acquiring a parsonge on Morris Street, with additions quickly following. The main hospital structure was completed in 1898 and wings were added in 1909 and 1914. The hospital's increasing size were indicative of its growing importance to the citizens of Morris County who utilized the hospital more and more frequently. With each expansion the hospital also added the latest techniques and technologies allowing it to better serve its patients. Following the Second World War the hospital outgrew its original location and ground was broken for a new building in May of 1950 and completed in June of 1952. In 1962 the Franklin Wing was added and in 1973 the Jefferson wing was completed. The hospital marked its centennial in 1992, publishing a book that recalled all the important milestones of the hospital's history. Throughout these periods of growth the hospital's commitment to the community that it served remained paramount.
The records of the Morristown Memorial Hospital are organized into ten series. The arrangement details the administrative structure and history of the Morristown Memorial Hospital.
This series contains the original by-laws, printed in 1894, and a copy of the hospital's Constitution, printed in 1940.
This series contains pamphlets, invitations to building dedications, brochures from opening ceremonies, and literature from campaign drives. All the items in this series are published by the hospital. The hospital experienced growth almost immediately and it was a constant struggle to either utilize the existing facilities more efficiently, with a concurrent decrease in the quality of care or find the resources to enlarge the hospital. The brochures and pamphlets in this series detail the improvements that these expansions brought to the hospital.
This collection has a listing of members of the hospital staff, boards, and Women's Association. It is the only comprehensive listing of those affiliated with the hospital in the collection. This series also contains the only item related to the patients served at Morristown Memorial Hospital, a welcome book for the neuro-psychiatric unit. This booklet was written to help prepare patients for an extended stay on the psychiatric ward. It also includes newspaper articles about individual employees.
At times the hospital was the benefactor of generous donations from people within the community that it served. Often times these donations came in wills. The collection has one case from Esther F. Wallace. The hospital was named as the final benefactor to receive all the remaining estate after the death of the final family member mentioned by Esther Wallace. The will, some correspondence, court records on the case involving the will, hospital memoranda detail the history of the will.
The annual reports detail the fiscal and administrative health of the organization and were presented to members of the board, and were also made available to the general public. The collection has nearly a hundred years of reports. The first twenty years have been bound in two separate volumes.
This series contains the meeting minutes from one of the board's meetings, a report from the Committee of Managers to the Board, and a summary of the hospital's first six years in the new building prepared for the Board. Along with the annual reports the board of managers met once a year to discuss both the report and the goals for the next fiscal year.
The hospital was responsible for the publication of several books, articles, and journals, either directly or by groups affiliated with the hospital or hospital staff. Two, A study of Hospitalization Needs, 1946, and A Study of Current and Future Needs, 1955 were written by the hospital as critical studies in order to help administrators determine future hospital goals. The hospital medical staff also published a journal, Hospital Journal examining medical issues faced by the staff. The collection has the years 1974-1976. The hospital publish a magazine for staff and friends called Memoscope, 1975-1990. This journal analyzed general hospital issues such as new medical strategies and technologies, and building additions. Also published by the hospital was the newsletter Pathway to Health, 1993-1995, not complete which was an addendum to the annual report and a newsletter published by the Friends of the Hospital titled Friends Letter, 1967-1986. The Women's Association also published a newsletter called Triangle, Winter 1984. It was an annual survey of the Association's accomplishments. The hospital also published community information bulletins in an attempt to educate the public both about the hospital and public health issues. In addition to journals and bulletins the hospital published pamphlets on various topics, including, Medicine and Surgery During the American Revolution, 1982.
The collection has brochures and booklets celebrating the Hospital's 75th and 100th anniversaries. The contents in the 75th anniversary folder include a celebration program and pamphlets. The 100th Anniversary book is an attractive object complete with text and photographs detailing the hospital's history.
This collection includes newspaper articles about or referencing the hospital, a Morristown Memorial Hospital Insurance mailing urging the community to utilize the hospital's insurance plan, and material related to the sun dial on the hospital's property.
Photographs, 1915-1922. The photographs document various aspects of Morristown community life, e.g. early hospital, ambulance, and treatment equipment.
This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Morristown Memorial Hospital collection may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material.
The records of the Morristown Memorial Hospital were donated to the North Jersey History Center of the Morristown and Morris Township Library in 1999.
The Records of the Morristown Memorial Hospital. North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Arranged by Lawrence T. Greene, Winter 2004
Finding Aid updates and revisions, Fall 2007; 2010.