Portal:Philadelphia/Selected article/August 2006

Pennsylvania Hospital, located in Philadelphia, is the first hospital in the United States. On May 11, 1751 the Pennsylvania legislature granted a charter to Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond to establish a hospital to care for the sick-poor and mentally ill of Philadelphia. Shortly afterwards, in 1752, the first (temporary) building was opened on High (now Market) Street. Elizabeth Gardner (a Quaker widow) was appointed Matron.

In 1755 the cornerstone was laid for the East Wing of what would become the hospital's permanent location at 8th and Pine. Patients were first admitted to the permanent hospital in 1756. The site continued to grow through the years with the addition of more wings (such as the West Wing of the building which was built in 1796) and buildings, extra land and further expansion. The hospital merged with the University of Pennsylvania Health System in 1997.