SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — McKenzie Willamette Medical Center celebrated its 70th anniversary this week, acknowledging a legacy that began in 1955 when Springfield civic leaders opened the city’s first community hospital.
The effort to build the hospital began in the 1940s, when returning veterans, a growing population and limited healthcare access fueled demand for a dedicated medical facility.
In 1953, a group of “civic-minded” women formed the Founders Service Organization to raise money for construction, eventually gathering more than $50,000 for the project. Combined with additional funds from the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary, the community raised enough to build a modern 35-bed hospital…