What began as a response to a growing community need has become a century-long legacy of caring for generations of families across Polk County and beyond.
On Oct. 2, 1926, Hundred Lakes Emergency Hospital opened its doors to the public. Today, known as BayCare's Winter Haven Hospital, the organization is celebrating 100 years of service to the community and a legacy that has grown from a small apartment building into a regional health care leader.
The hospital's roots can be traced to a period of rapid growth in Winter Haven. By 1926, the city's population had grown to 6,500 residents, up from 1,598 just six years earlier. Community conversations about the need for a local hospital had already begun, but a train crash that summer in nearby Lake Alfred underscored the urgency when injured passengers had no nearby facility to receive care.
Within two years of opening, the hospital relocated to 223 Seventh St. SW and became known as Winter Haven General Hospital. A decade later, a new 24-bed hospital opened at the Lake Martha site, laying the foundation for continued growth.
A Century of Growth
Winter Haven Hospital expanded rapidly between the 1950s and 1970s as the community's health care needs evolved.
The opening of the Snively Building increased the hospital's capacity to 195 beds, followed by the Swann Building in 1967.
That same year, the hospital opened its Center for Behavioral Health, one of the first facilities in the nation created with federal funding as part of an effort to move away from institutionalization as the primary treatment for mental health conditions.
Growth continued throughout the decade. The Street Building opened in 1972, bringing the hospital to 424 beds, followed by the Arnold Building in 1975. The Cassidy Cancer Center opened in 1978. In 1987, the Regency Medical Center opened and later became known as Winter Haven Women's Hospital in 2014.
A new chapter began in 2013 when Winter Haven Hospital joined BayCare Health System. Since then, BayCare has continued investing in facilities, technology and services to support patients throughout eastern Polk County and the surrounding region.
Among those investments was the opening of a new Emergency Department in 2017. Last year, the hospital added a pediatric observation wing designed to provide more specialized care for young patients. In 2020, the third floor of the Bostick Wing opened. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unit played a critical role in caring for patients requiring intensive care.
Generations of Family Connections
While buildings, milestones and programs tell part of the hospital's story, many of its strongest connections can be found in the families whose lives have been intertwined with Winter Haven Hospital for generations.
Beth Koon and her brother, Dr. James Koon, grew up watching their father, Dr. Wiley Koon, care for patients at the hospital. Today, Dr. James Koon serves as a podiatrist at Winter Haven Hospital, while Beth Koon works as a project manager for BayCare.
"I feel privileged to be a part of this hospital," Beth Koon said. "And I'm very grateful for its decision to join BayCare in 2013 because it's brought market power and the leadership to bring us into the future by focusing on continual improvement."
For longtime team member Marcey Drake, the hospital also became a place where family and career came together. Her mother, Marilyn Waldron, joined the team as a nurse and remained with the organization until retiring in 2017.
"A strong team culture matters," Drake said. "People feel supported here. That's why Winter Haven Hospital feels like home to so many."
The Wilson-Ballard family represents three generations of Winter Haven Hospital team members. The family's connection began with Eleanor Wilson, one of the first team members to work in the Street Building. Her daughters Charlene, Linda and Cheryl later joined the organization. Cheryl's daughter, Tracee, was born at Winter Haven Hospital and now serves as an ICU nurse.
"The family that works together, bonds together," Cheryl Wilson-Ballard James said. "That's the BayCare Effect!
Looking to the Future
As Winter Haven Hospital begins its second century, investments in technology, facilities and specialized care continue.
The hospital's Interventional Radiology department is currently undergoing expansion. The project will bring biplane X-ray capabilities to the department and add three new imaging rooms, including two fluoroscopy suites and one digital radiography suite, helping increase capacity and enhance imaging quality.
In addition, Winter Haven Hospital recently became the first hospital in BayCare and Central Florida to earn Electrophysiology Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology, a recognition that reflects the hospital's continued growth in advanced cardiovascular care.
As leaders reflect on the hospital's first 100 years, they also recognize the physicians, nurses, team members, volunteers, donors and community advocates who helped shape its history.
"For 100 years, Winter Haven Hospital has grown alongside this community, guided by the same purpose that inspired its founding: to care for people when they need us most," said Tom Garthwaite, president of Winter Haven Hospital. "As we look to the future, we are committed to building on that legacy through innovation, compassion and continued investment in the health and well-being of the families we serve."
For more information: Winter Haven Hospital
