The year 2005 marks Johnston Memorial Hospital’s (JMH) 100th anniversary.  Established in 1905 by Dr. E.T. Brady, the hospital was originally housed in a small wooden cabin.  Two physicians and four nurses assisted Brady in the daily operation of the 12 bed facility.  

After experiencing a rocky start plagued by low patient volume, Dr. George Ben Johnston and Dr. Amis Willis took control of the hospital in 1919, constructing a new building and adding laboratory and radiology services.  At that point, the once humble hospital began to expand rapidly in both size and service to accommodate the growing number of patients.   It was incorporated as a community owned, non-profit organization, in the 1940s and soon after pediatric, physical therapy, and surgical services were added.   

The momentum ignited by Johnston and Amis more than 80 years ago is still present today.  JMH is now a modern medical center that is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and has more than 700 employees and 120 medical staff members.  Non-invasive cardiology services, an emergency room expansion, an open MRI, and a central energy plant are just a few of the hospital’s most recent additions.  The facilities have expanded, equipment has been added, and technology has been upgraded, but the tradition of caring has always been present.  It is the continued commitment of our employees, medical staff, and volunteers to providing high quality, compassionate care that has sustained us throughout the last century and we believe it will lead us into the future.    

Click here to view a complete list of our historical milestones.