For the last 125 years, Holy Family Memorial has been helping keep Manitowoc residents healthy while also keeping God at the center of it all.
Sister Kay Klackner with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity explained to Seehafer News that the city of Manitowoc, which was founded roughly 25 years prior, was starting to grow.
Shipbuilding became a big focus, and the community realized they desperately needed local healthcare.
“So they came to us, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, even though that material perspective, we were a rather young congregation and yet still having debt to build our own buildings,” Sister Kay explained. “But because the need was great, the leadership of the community says we will work together and have a hospital.”
In 1886, Manitowoc County deeded over four and a half lots to the Sisters, and in the Spring of 1898, ground was officially broken on the hospital.
Bishop Frederick Katzer from the Diocese of Green Bay was on hand on September 28th of that year to officially dedicate the 45-bed facility.
Sister Kay tells us the hospital was of vital importance to the growing community.
“If you were rich, you could afford to have the doctor or the health care people come to your home,” Sister Kay noted. “If you were not, you were kind of on your own.”
In 1900, the hospital, which was named Holy Family Hospital at the time, was also named a U.S. Marine hospital, meaning if a sailor became sick, Manitowoc was the place for them to go.
Sister Clarence Hennessy wrote in her diary at the time that the sisters would give them “three good meals a day, broth in the forenoon, and lunch in the afternoon.”
It was not all smooth sailing however, as in July of that year, the hospital was struck by lightning.
Sister Clarence wrote, “The steeple was broken as there was also a hole in the roof. The lights were all out of order. Everybody got a shock, but nobody was hurt.”
However, she maintained a sense of humor during the ordeal, noting, “Sister Walburga was standing on a chair closing a window. She fell backwards and said: ‘I am dead. I am dead.’ Never mind, your tongue is still wagging.”
We will have more stories about the history of Holy Family Memorial through the week as they get ready to host a ceremony celebrating the milestone this coming Saturday (September 28th.)
