DOYLESTOWN, PA, – With the arrival of 2023, Doylestown Health proudly marks the start of its Centennial year and ten decades of delivering care with compassion and expertise.
In 1923, the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA) established Doylestown Hospital in its first location at Pine and Oakland Streets in Doylestown. Rapid population growth and new demands necessitated that the hospital move to a new location on Belmont Avenue in 1939. Doylestown Hospital continued to advance and expand—adding new services and programs in response to the community’s healthcare needs.
Since the dedication of the hospital in its current location on State Street in 1975, Doylestown Hospital has evolved into a nationally recognized and award-winning hospital. Doylestown Hospital is the flagship of Doylestown Health, a comprehensive network delivering high-quality healthcare for patients in Bucks County and beyond.
“We are proud to reach this important milestone,” says Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health. “One hundred years ago, the women of the Village Improvement Association had a clear vision for delivering the best possible patient care right here in our very own community. They were forward-thinking in their approach to galvanize community support to build the hospital and sustain it over the last century,” says Brexler.
“This year is truly a celebration of a century of caring for our community and, most importantly, the people who have built this extraordinary tradition of patient-focused care,” says Laura Wortman, Chief Advancement Officer for Doylestown Health. “The first hospital was built for the community by people in the community, and that tradition of full-circle support inspires the patient care we deliver today,” she says.
Among many highlights, a series of special events commemorating the Centennial will be held throughout the year and include hospital and community-wide celebrations featuring the history of the hospital, Doylestown Health’s ongoing advancements, and its vision for the future.
Hosted by Doylestown Health and community partners when noted, many of these events will be free and open to the public.
A special website dedicated to the hospital’s centennial, DH100.org, was recently launched, showcasing Doylestown Hospital’s history and stories from the earliest decades to the present. All are invited to share stories and recollections of Doylestown Hospital. Stories and photos will be shared throughout the year in publications and through digital and social media (#DH100).
The inaugural Centennial event, Bricks and Mortals: The Centennial Exhibit – A Photographic Retrospective of Doylestown Hospital, features photography by Ed Eckstein, originally commissioned in 1998 during the hospital’s 75th anniversary, to document the “essence of the healing environment.” The inspiring photos recall timeless moments of comfort, healing, dignity, and vulnerability and capture the enduring heart and spirit of the Doylestown Health community.
Eckstein was granted access to all hospital areas and shot more than 4,000 images. Of those, 39 were selected for an exhibition entitled “Healing Images, Healing Arts: 75 Years of Care at Doylestown Hospital,” first exhibited at the Michener Museum in 1998. Additional photographs were taken in 2005 and displayed at Doylestown Hospital. In 2008, the images were published in a companion book, “Bricks and Mortals: A Hospital Observed.”
Now, in 2023, the compelling photographs in this exhibit include a curated selection of never-before-seen images from Eckstein’s original commission to honor the 100th anniversary of the hospital’s founding by the VIA and pay tribute to the profound impact our mission has on our community.
To register and view the latest news and event information, please visit DH100.org.
Bricks and Mortals: The Centennial Exhibit – A Photographic Retrospective of Doylestown Hospital
Saturday, February 4*
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Doylestown Hospital ArtWalk
595 West State Street
Meet the Artist: Ed Eckstein will share reflections and answer questions.
Signed, limited-edition copies of Bricks and Mortals will be available for purchase.
Complimentary parking is available in the Doylestown Hospital Parking Garage
*Registration is required.
EXHIBIT CONTINUES THROUGH FEBRUARY 26, 2023
Self-guided tours of the exhibit are free and open to the public 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily through February 26, 2023. The ArtWalk Gallery is located on the ground floor of Doylestown Hospital and can be accessed directly from the parking garage ($2/day). Use the Emergency Department entrance on weekends.
About the Photographer
Ed Eckstein started his career in the 1960s, documenting the social upheavals of the era. He continues to photograph worldwide for a number of clients in the editorial, corporate, and advertising sectors. He calls his brand of imagery “non-fiction photography.” Eckstein’s images are powerful, unmanipulated, and distilled from visual encounters with humanity and place. Learn more: edeckstein.com
About Doylestown Health and Doylestown Hospital
Established in 1923, Doylestown Health is a comprehensive healthcare system of inpatient, outpatient, and wellness education services connected to meet the health needs of all members of the local and regional community. Doylestown Hospital, the flagship of Doylestown Health, has 247 beds and a Medical Staff of 450 physicians in over 50 medical and surgical specialties. As an independent nonprofit health system consistently recognized regionally and nationally for high-quality care and innovation, Doylestown Health delivers the highest-quality, patient-centered care in the region.
