In 1917, a committee from the Owosso Improvement Association met with county physicians and a $20,000 subscription was raised for a new hospital. Just as they were starting to promote the building fund, WWI broke out which put all the plans on hold as Doctors and hospital equipment were badly needed by the government.
As the war came to an close in 1919, Owosso was once more able to turn its attention to the need for a hospital. Calvin P. Bentley was appointed to head the committee to investigate building costs, location, etc. The committee also named the hospital in honor of those who died during WWI, "Memorial Hospital".
The County Board of Supervisors appropriated $36,000 from the tax rolls to the hospital building fund.
An option was made on an 11 acre site along the Shiawassee River north of King Street. Then Fred Hartshorn took over the option and donated the property for a building site, in memory of his father and himself. Soon after, the heirs of A.L. and B. O. Williams, founders of Owosso, donated an adjoining 2.5 acres in their memory.
On May 1, 1921, the Hospital was completed and when fully equipped represented an investment of $210,000. The building was 200' X 50' and 4 stories high, 60 beds and three operating rooms. The hospital at one time had its own vegetable garden and fruit orchard and through the years several additions have been added.
By 1995, the name was changed to "Memorial Healthcare Center" which more adequately describes what the hospital and its many services, both inpatient and outpatient, now represent.
This photo was taken in 1951 of the Nurses Home which was located just west of Memorial Hospital.