Tobey Hospital has provided continuous service to the community since 1940. It has become one of Massachusetts’ premiere hospitals because your medical care and comfort is always the priority. That’s why our mission towards excellence has earned awards time and time again on local, national and global levels.
We are proud to share our important milestones along the way.
Our Story
1922
Philanthropist Alice Tobey Jones (1873 – 1922) bequeathed $250,000 to a trust to maintain the Tobey Homestead until the death of her husband (John Hall Jones) and several friends, at which time she directed that the trust be transferred to a corporation for the purposes of establishing and maintaining a hospital, named the Tobey Hospital, through the Tobey Hospital Endowment Fund.
1938
As further directed by the Will of Alice Tobey Jones, a Board of Trustees was organizationally established with its representatives selected, per Alice’s wish, from local churches, Wareham National Bank, and town governance. The Board of Trustees began the work of founding Tobey Hospital, with construction to begin in 1939 in a building designed by Boston architectural firm Kendall, Taylor, & Co.
The first Board of Trustees, included:
- Philip W. Hathaway, Selectman of Wareham
- John T. Galligan, Secretary to the Trustees
- Reverend Arthur L. Fenderson, Church of the Good Shepherd
- Reverend Oscar L. Olsen, First Congregational Church
- John C. Makepeace, Wareham National Bank
- Reverend Francis D. Callahan, Saint Patrick’s Church
1940
Tobey Hospital opens on May 25, 1940 with 40 inpatient beds, two operating rooms, X-Ray facilities, a nursery and a laboratory. Upon its completion, the hospital was also equipped with a new state-of-the-art ambulance.
The first inpatient was Mrs. Mario Ragazio of Bourne, who was admitted on June 2, 1940, Tobey’s second day of operations. Mrs. Ragazio gave birth to the first infant to enter the world at the hospital, and in honor of the occasion, the infant was named Alice Tobey Ragazio.
During its first year, Tobey Hospital treated 1,458 patients from 122 different cities and towns and 10 states. Opening in the same year, the Tobey Homestead was converted into a residence for Tobey Hospital nurses.
Amy Julie Daniels, R.N., A.C.H.A served as the inaugural Administrator for Tobey Hospital. Ms. Daniels supervised the construction and equipment in the building and furnishing of Tobey Hospital, and organized all hospital personnel.
Dr. Raymond D. Stillman was the first Chief of Staff at Tobey, a position he held for 22 years.
1941
Tobey Hospital Guild is founded with almost 100 members to work on projects and programs to benefit Tobey Hospital and the people enter it for care and healing.
For much of WWII, the hospital auxiliary did much of the sewing for Tobey, making infants’ layettes, draperies for the bedrooms and many other necessities. And, at that time of shortages, provided many of the sheets and cases for the beds.
1956
North and South Wings are added. These new wings, built at a cost of $500,000, increased patient capacity to 58 beds. Included in the expansion were eight beds in a new pediatric unit, the first of its kind at Tobey. Other improvements included a new $10,000 cystoscopy room, a recovery room, a medical library, and expansion of the laboratory and finally, the maternity unit, to accommodate the 500 births annually at the hospital.
Leadership for this campaign included Raymond Stillman, M.D. as Honorary Chair, Samuel Crocker as Chair, Rev. John Chippendale as Vice-Chair, and John C. Makepeace as Treasurer. The Campaign Committee, included:
- Parker Converse
- George H. Smith
- Edwin H. Morse
- Edward A. Besse
- John T. Hough
- J. Robert Kershaw
1965
New York-based Barth Foundation provided Tobey Hospital with a $10,000 gift to purchase a state-of-the-art “cardiac crisis cart” which includes amazing innovation, including the electric cardiac monitor with a built-in E.K.G., a cardioverter, and a cardiac pacemaker. Successful New York businessman Theodore “Ted” Barth lived seasonally in Wareham and served as Trustee and Chairman of the Board for Tobey.
Joining Theodore H. Barth on the Tobey Hospital Board of Trustees is:
- Rev. Roland V. E. Johnson
- Maurice Makepeace
- John T. Galligan
- Rev. John A. Chippendale
- Selectman Benjamin A. Merrihew
- Charles A. MacKenzie, Jr.
- Rev. D. Norman Brady
1969
The Theodore H. Barth Intensive Care Unit is added, featuring nine beds designed for 24-hour care of critically ill patients. Mr. Barth made a gift of $200,000 in 1967 (just prior to his death) to initiate construction.
1972
The Susanna K. Tobey Wing is added. This four-story, $2.5 million project nearly doubled patient capacity to 89. The new wing featured double rooms for 20 patient beds, an operating suite and recovery room, a new physical therapy and rehabilitation department, offices for business administration and medical records, a new medical library, as well as a central supply area and pharmacy. W. Latimer Gray served as Chair of the Campaign for the Susanna K. Tobey Wing.
The Board of Trustees, included:
- Edwin A. Whitehouse, President
- Rev. Msgr. Robert A. Stanton, Vice President
- Maurice B. Makepeace, Treasurer
- John T. Galligan, Clerk
- Mrs. Angelica R. Murphy Assistant Treasurer
- Mrs. Helen Maloney, Recording Secretary
- Donald R. Brown
- Rev. Lawrence M. Estey
- W. Latimer Gray
- Edward G. Griffin
- Rev. David J. Hottenstein
- Hon. Charles A. MacKenzie, Jr.
- Everett A. TenBrook
- Edward E. Watts, Jr.
- Larry G. Seidel, M.D.
- Mrs. V. Everett York
1983
Tobey completes the $800,000 “Quest for Excellence” drive for the purchase of new equipment including an automated hematology system and an infant incubator.
The Board of Trustees, included:
- Ian Baldwin, President
- Ralph Hayden, Vice President & Treasurer
- Robert A. Braman, Vice President
- Edward G. Griffin, Clerk
- Kenneth J. Bruce
- Rev. Sanford Fasth
- Davis T. Gallison, M.D.
- Ludgero S. A. Gomez, D.M.D.
- W. Latimer Gray
- Ruth Kelenosy
- Edward M. Kiernan
- Samuel W. McFadden, M.D.
- Claire J. McWilliams
- Frederico R. Medina, Jr.
- Everett A. TenBrook
- Mrs. Ellen J. Warr
- Edward E. Watts, Jr.
- Edwin A. Whitehouse
1989
A new Emergency & Radiology Wing is added through the Building Together for a Healthier Tomorrow Campaign. This 11,000 sqft project doubled the capacity of the Emergency and the Radiology departments, dedicated as The Ian Baldwin Emergency Department/The Ralph Hayden Imaging Center (dedicated May 3, 1991) and included a new Pratt Surgical Day Care Unit.
The final phase of this $5 million project included the creation of an Intermediate Care Unity adjacent to the Barth Intensive Care Unit and a renovation of Main II, the original inpatient unit dating to 1940. These projects were developed as a part of the Tobey Hospital 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign.
Campaign leadership, included:
- Ian Baldwin, General Campaign Chair
- Paul Morse, Family Gifts Chair
- Edwin H. B. Pratt, Jr., Major Gifts Chair
- George B. Mock, Corporate Gifts Chair
- Margherita Baldwin, Special Gifts Chair
- John N. DeCosta, Community Campaign Chair
1995
“Community First: The Campaign for Primary Care” raises $3.5 million to fund Makepeace Center for Women and Families and a new Outpatient Center. Community volunteers George Mock (Campaign Chair), Ian Baldwin, Doug Beaton, and Margherita Baldwin joined hospital leadership staff and the Tobey Guild to run the campaign.
1996
Tobey Health System merges with St. Luke’s Health System and Charlton Health System to form Southcoast Health System.
1997
Southcoast Health System contributes $1.5 million to complete the Makepeace Center for Women and Families.
2001
The Tobey Legacy Campaign is launched with a $1 million gift from the Susanna K. Tobey Trust and a $500,000 gift from The Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. Foundation to build a 15,000 sqft, $9 million addition to house three new operating rooms, centralized anesthesia delivery system, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, private, pre-operation and recovery rooms, plus a same day surgery unit, as well as expanded space for a future Intensive Care Unit.
Co-chaired by Margherita Baldwin and Margot Arms and with George Mock as Chair Emeritus, the campaign committee, included:
- Richard Anderson
- Trish Arnold
- Bill Blasdale
- Jack Braitmayer
- Ann Butler
- CC Dyer
- Ken Gee
- Sam Gray
- Jack Ludes
- Colin McNay
- Chris Makepeace
- George Mock III
- Harry Norweb
- Carolyn Rubenstein
- Cathy Roberts
- Bob Rosbe
- Posy See
- David Stone, Jr.
- Anne Webb
- Richard Young
2010
The Alene & Arthur Lionberger Intensive Care Unit is dedicated to honor the memory of the long time Tobey Hospital volunteers and benefactors. Following seven decades and nearly 12,000 hours of service to Tobey, the Lionbergers left a $3.5 million bequest to benefit the hospital and the greater Wareham community it serves.
2020
Construction begins on an ambitious $25 million project that will expand the Tobey Hospital Emergency Center by 17,500 sqft of space capable of accommodating 40,000 visitors annually. The project’s patient-centered design features approximately 30 treatment rooms, including dedicated rooms for bariatric patients, behavioral health patients, and patients in need of advanced lifesaving and isolation. This new project stands on the shoulders of volunteers from The Campaign for Southcoast who began its initial fundraising, including George B. Mock III and Donald S. Rice, Esq. from the Greater Wareham area.
The current effort Co-Chaired by Alice Rice Perkins and Mark C. Perkins, the Tobey Hospital Emergency Center Capital Campaign Committee, includes:
- Wendy Cullum
- Don Giumetti
- Rayford Kruger, M.D.
- Heike Milhench
- Fred Mock
- Faith Morningstar
- Michele Wakeman, R.N.