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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, April 7, 2024, pg. 6 This year marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Albion's James W. Sheldon Memorial Hospital, which operated from 1924 until 1967. Let us review its history. By 1920, the Albion City Hospital at 111 W. Ash St. had become inadequate and rising state standards threatened to close the nurse's training school. A new hospital was needed. Jennie Worthington (1859-1942), hospital executive board member and music teacher for the Albion Public Schools, wrote a letter to a boyhood friend, James W. "Don" Sheldon Riley (1879-1968) of Los Angeles, California. Riley's grandfather James W. Sheldon had been a prominent Albion banker in the 19th century. Mr. Riley replied that his mother, Madelon (Sheldon) Leffingwell (1859-1921), had set aside $50,000 from her estate to create a memorial to her banker father. Mr. Riley soon came to Albion with a proposal for the hospital board to consider building a new hospital as a memorial to Mr. Sheldon. They accepted the proposal, along with the $50,000 check. The city purchased land in the 800 block of S. Superior St., and received the property of the old South Ward School (closed in 1919) as a donation from the Albion Public Schools. With the property secured, the City of Albion proceeded with plans to construct a new hospital. Officials discovered that $50,000 wasn't enough to complete the project, and so an additional $50,000 was raised by approval of a bond issue by a vote of 1082 to 295---a victory which demonstrated the community's strong support. Construction began, and the cornerstone was laid on May 25, 1923. Upon completion, a dedication ceremony was held on April 28, 1924. The hospital officially opened on May 1, 1924, with Mrs. Mary McDonald as superintendent. Local civic organizations and individuals supplied funds to furnish individual hospital rooms. The Albion Malleable Iron Company furnished equipment for the operating room. The old South Ward School housed the hospital heating plant. These and other gifts saved the City of Albion thousands of dollars. By the late 1940s, the beds at SMH were filled to capacity, and a $300,000 fund drive was launched for a three-story addition in the rear. The total cost went over $500,000. The new wing was constructed and was opened in 1952 after three years of construction. An open house was held June 7, 1953 for the new and renovated facilities. The "baby boom" of the 1950s and population growth in Albion dramatically increased the number of patients and services performed at SMH. Plans were made in the early 1960s to build a new hospital at 809 W. Erie St. The Albion Community Hospital was erected at a cost of $2.1 million, with the dedication and open house occurring on December 10, 1967. Sheldon Memorial Hospital was then closed, but was reopened on January 12, 1970 as Sheldon Manor: a long-term rehabilitative care facility. The hospital budget however was unable to sustain the financial burden of this operation, and Sheldon Manor was closed February 28, 1978. During the 1980s the building was used for various hospital functions, such as housing the hospital laundry and hospital business office among other uses. After that the building was sold to a private entity in December, 1995 for transformation into apartments. Sheldon Place Apartments opened in 1998. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a postcard photo of Sheldon Memorial Hospital in Albion, and a photo of its namesake, banker James W. Sheldon. How many of our readers were born at this hospital, such as was yours truly?  Sheldon Memorial Hospital
 James W. Sheldon
All text copyright, 2024 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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