Morton Plant Marks 100 Years of Serving the Community

Hospital Opened on January 1, 1916

CLEARWATER, Fla., (December 28, 2015)-- You don’t have to look very far to see the impact railroad magnate Henry Plant and his family had on the Tampa Bay area. Perhaps one of the most significant and beneficial projects is Morton Plant Hospital, which will have its 100th Anniversary on January 1, 2016.
The Story
While Morton F. Plant, businessman and son of railroad magnate Henry Plant, was wintering at the Belleview Biltmore Hotel, his son, Henry Plant, II severely injured his leg and hip in a car accident. The nearest hospitals were hours and hours away over roads that were less than ideal. Morton Plant brought a railroad car outfitted as a hospital to the hotel so that young Henry could recover. 

This incident set the stage for Morton Plant Hospital.  Morton F. Plant, realized Clearwater needed its own hospital and when a group of in the community women approached him for a donation to build a hospital, he offered them a challenge. If the community could raise $20,000 to build the hospital, he would establish a $100,000 endowment for it. The community raised the money and on January 1, 1916, Morton Plant Hospital opened as a 20-bed, five-bassinet hospital on five acres fronting Clearwater Harbor.

Connected to the Community
“For 100 years, the community has given to us and we’ve given back to the community by working to improve the health of the patients and families we serve,” said Kris Hoce, president of Morton Plant Hospital. “Our commitment to our patients and the community has allowed us to continue the legacy started by the community’s need and passion for a hospital and Morton Plant’s generosity.”

Celebrating
Morton Plant is planning several events and projects to celebrate its 100th Anniversary. One of its first projects is to create a display of artifacts and memorabilia. The hospital is seeking photos, articles, medical tools or equipment, and commemorative items that represent the history of the hospital, as well as the community’s favorite recollections and fond memories of the hospital.

The artifacts, which can be returned, will be used to create a display to showcase Morton Plant Hospital’s rich history of serving the community. 

To contribute items, go to www.MortonPlant100.org. The website contains more information and a link to a “Memorabilia Form” to complete and include with any items you provide to the hospital. The form provides space for the item description and asks if the item needs to be returned.


Photos can be emailed to Sarah.Murry@BayCare.org, mailed or dropped off original photos, to Sarah Murry, Morton Plant Mease Foundation, 1200 Druid Road S, Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include the donor’s name and address on a Post-It on the back of any items. If you have questions about memorabilia, please contact Sarah Murry, (727) 461-8642.

In addition to the memorabilia display, Morton Plant Hospital is planning to share stories, memories and anecdotes about the hospital on its 100th Anniversary website. Community members or hospital staff can submit their stories through a “Story Submission” form at www.MortonPlant100.org. The form provides space to write the story, memory or anecdote and can be completed online and emailed to MortonPlant100@BayCare.org or mailed to Morton Plant Hospital Communications Department, MS114, 300 Pinellas Street, Clearwater, FL 33756. For questions about story submissions, please email MortonPlant100@BayCare.org.


The Morton Plant Mease Foundation, which supports the hospital, will also be celebrating the hospital’s 100th Anniversary with several events throughout the year. Visit www.MPMFoundation.org for more information.

 “As we celebrate our past, we are looking forward to the future by building our new Doyle Tower,” said Hoce. The centerpiece of our transformation to help the hospital meet the community’s health care needs for the future, the new four-story Doyle Tower will feature private rooms, an additional main entrance to the hospital, and new surgical, women’s and orthopedic platforms. The new tower is named in honor of Roz Doyle for her support of the hospital’s commitment to improving the health of the community. Completion of the Doyle Tower is anticipated in February 2017.

About Morton Plant Hospital
Since 1916, Morton Plant Hospital has been committed to improving the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Our 687-bed hospital is proud to offer nationally recognized care delivered in more than 50 specialty areas. Morton Plant Hospital offers innovative, accessible, and quality services to provide our community with a lifetime of compassionate, convenient care. For more information, call (727) 953-6877, or visit us on Facebook or at 300 Pinellas St., Clearwater, Fla.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 13 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.