On Mar. 19, 1895, ground was broken for the St. Joseph’s Hospital, now known as St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. St. Joseph’s is a not-for-profit hospital that provides a wide range of health, social and support services, with special advocacy for the poor and underserved.

The Sisters of Mercy came to Phoenix in 1892 to open a parish school. They were successful in that endeavor, but what affected them most deeply was the suffering of tuberculosis victims. Realizing the most pressing need of the community, the Sisters expanded their original mission and began fund-raising to be able to establish a sanitarium.

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Joseph’s was the first hospital in the Phoenix area. The hospital today is part of Dignity Health, one of the largest healthcare systems in the West with hospitals in Arizona, California and Nevada.