Our Historical Timeline

Since 1898, Methodist has grown significantly in bricks and mortar as well as in services and programs.

1898

Miss Minna Riggs, a deaconesses of the Methodist Episcopal Church, conceives the idea of a home for Deaconesses.  Deaconess Ida Phillips and others expand the plan to include a hospital. A two-story home known as the Bunn property, at 221 Northeast Glen Oak, is purchased and remodeling begins.

 

 

1900

Deaconess Home and Hospital opens on May 24 in the former Bunn house.  Miss C.A. Williams was Superintendent of the 20-bed hospital.  At the same time, a school of nursing was established with five young women graduating two years later.

  

 

1911

Construction of the first permanent building of today's Methodist Medical Center begins.

  

  

 

1917

The hospital name officially changes to "The Methodist Hospital of Central Illinois."

 

1930s & '40s

Innovations at Methodist include one of the nation's first x-ray schools and a new children's ward noted for being one of the most completely equipped in the country and the only such unit between Chicago and St. Louis.

  

  

1950s

The Glen Oak Wing opens in 1953, bringing the hospital's capacity to over 300 beds.  The modern, well-equipped Hamilton Wing follows in 1959.  This decade also sees the arrival of the only public EEG machine in downstate Illinois, the first mechanical kidney (one of only four in the nation) and the area's first hospital mental health department. 

1960s

The generosity of the Arthur G. Heidrich family enables Methodist to install the first cobalt unit for treating cancer patients in downstate Illinois. Other innovations include the area's first coronary intensive care unit (one of only 31 in the nation) and a new coronary care unit with the only telemetry (heart monitor) system in Illinois outside of Chicago. The Hamilton Wing expands and Helen House opens as a dormitory for the Methodist School of Nursing.

1970s

In 1971, the Methodist Heart Care Center is the first to perform the new cardiac catheterization procedure.  In 1975, the first open-heart surgery is performed at Methodist, marking the start of the area's longest-running open heart program.

Other advances at Methodist include the first ambulatory surgery center in Illinois, Peoria's first cancer care unit, the area's first pain management clinic, and the establishment of a Family Practice Residency Program to train the next generation of family physicians.  Methodist is also selected as the location of the first-ever affiliate of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

A $22 million expansion program consisting of a new four-story addition connected to a seven-level parking deck is constructed.  Above the parking facilities is a two-story office building for physicians.

In 1975, the hospital's name changes to Methodist Medical Center of Illinois. The Methodist Medical Center Foundation is established to support the hospital in its mission of helping and healing.

1980s

Expanded facilities include the Crescent addition and the Methodist Diagnostic Center.  Methodist also purchases the former Ramada Inn and remodels it as Methodist East Campus, home to the School of Nursing, Methodist Family Child Care Center and other services. Methodist opens the area's first sleep disorders center, establishes the area's longest-running Hospice program, and introduces Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and mobile mammography services to Central Illinois.

1990s

The only Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center in downstate Illinois opens at Methodist. Methodist is also the first in Peoria to use DEXA for osteoporosis testing and the first to offer Open MRI.  New facilities include the beautiful Methodist Atrium and the three-story Crescent Pavilion for critical care. The first Methodist MedPointe walk-in centers are developed to meet patient demand for convenient quality medical care without an appointment.

Today

Methodist today is a 350-bed tertiary care center.  The school of nursing became Methodist College of Nursing in 2001, providing baccalaureate education to the nursing professionals of tomorrow.  Methodist continues to lead the way in health care, from our award-winning Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute to medical imaging and diagnostic services that are second to none.  

  

 

 Tomorrow

Taking you well into the future.  The Methodist of tomorrow is being built with wellness in mind. That means an emphasis on outpatient, in-home, and other non-hospital based services, which frees us to reduce the overall size of our structures. With fewer buildings, energy-saving design, and other operational efficiencies, we anticipate a reduction in our annual operating costs. As a result, we will provide more compassionate care, with more amenities for patients and families and more advanced technology, in a greener setting and a safer, healthier environment, than we can today. We are going beyond providing services – we are adding value for patients, families, employers, and the community as a whole.  Methodist will be all digital, all the time.  Phase I of our replacement campus will be a new diagnostic and treatment facility that will house acute care services including cardiovascular, surgical, and intensive care units with 100% private rooms.  A new easy-access Emergency Department/Trauma Center and a dedicated Heart Tower will also be part of the new structure. The Heart Tower will be an integrated Center of Excellence with all heart care services in one central location.