POTSDAM – August 14 proved to be a beautiful day for friends and team members of Rochester Regional Health’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital who attended its site marker ceremony. Earlier this year, the Hospital celebrated 100 years of healthcare during an internal event on March 13; the anniversary date of its first inpatient to Potsdam Hospital.  

Healthcare in Potsdam began in 1920 as two separate entities - Potsdam General Hospital, which was funded through the legacy of Gilbert French; and Potsdam Hospital, which was funded through the legacy of Henry P. Foster. Potsdam Hospital became officially incorporated in 1922 and shortly thereafter merged with Potsdam General Hospital and retained the name Potsdam Hospital. In 1924, Mr. John L. Brown offered the use of his property at the corner of Waverly and Cottage Street, later fully bequeathing the property in his will. One year later, Potsdam Hospital welcomed its first inpatient and delivered its first baby; born on March 19, 1925 to the Olmstead family. 

Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Edwin A. Merritt, Jr., and her daughter, Mrs. Stanley H. Sisson donated land at the corner of Leroy and Cottage Streets to accommodate an expansion that would help meet the growing demand for healthcare. In 1973, Potsdam Hospital merged with the former EJ Noble Hospital of Canton to form the current Canton-Potsdam Hospital (CPH) and it has continued to evolve and expand to meet the increasing needs of the communities it serves; it is on trend to care for nearly 4,000 inpatients this year alone.  Within the last 15 years, CPH opened a Center for Cancer Care and Leroy Outpatient Center, realized Level III Trauma designation and earned Stroke Center Certification. Most recently, a new Regional Care Pavilion was constructed to include 60-private patient rooms and an expanded emergency department.  

Rochester Regional Health St. Lawrence Region President Donna McGregor opened the event recognizing the staunch commitment from the community 100 years ago and how that same tenacity remains as an unwavering force still today.  

“Our founders knew the community deserved healthcare early on and we are honored to continue what they started. To sustain 100 years of healthcare is due, in large part, by the dedication of our medical providers working in partnership with team members across our three hospitals, our clinical network in the Rochester region, and the more than 40 specialty practices offered locally. Being part of the Rochester Regional Health network, we have also expanded access to advanced specialty services right here in our community, including spine consultations, lung biopsies, and thoracic surgeries. Additionally, leveraging our world-renowned electronic medical records system, telehealth technology, and our clinicians’ collective years of experience, we are able to provide state-of-the-art care to every patient,” shared Donna McGregor. 

“Delivering healthcare isn’t easy, but it’s necessary and we’re here for it. We’re not going anywhere.  Our donors, team members, patients and their families, community members and friends inspire and support us to keep moving forward, and for that we are forever grateful,” concluded McGregor. 

Canton-Potsdam Hospital Board Chair Michael Griffin paid homage to the visionaries who made Potsdam Hospital a reality and noted their adaptability and unwavering commitment through difficult times. 

“We honor the pioneers who established our hospital, and the generations who have carried forward their vision through times of both stability and great uncertainty. In the 1940s, our predecessors faced the devastating polio outbreaks, forcing them to adapt their care, develop new protocols, and respond with ingenuity despite limited resources. Decades later, we would face our own era-defining challenge in COVID-19. Although different in cause, it’s similar in its power to test the very core of healthcare,” said Griffin.

“Just like polio, COVID, and every infectious disease in between, we know we can never fully predict what will come next. But we have proven that our preparation, adaptability, and unwavering commitment will carry us through. Our legacy is a testament to the resilience that continues to define who we are today. Whatever challenges the next decades bring we will meet them as those before us did: with courage and innovation,” concluded Griffin. 

To learn more about the history of medical care in Potsdam, friends can visit the Potsdam Public Museum. To learn more about Canton-Potsdam Hospital, visit www.rochesterregional.org.