Mercy Hospital South
1873
St. Anthony's tradition of Catholic health care begins in 1873, when the Franciscan Sisters of Germany open St. Boniface Hospital in South St. Louis. In 1877, tragedy strikes and the hospital is destroyed by fire. Undeterred and committed to their mission of healthcare, several Sisters travel to Memphis to serve in the Yellow Fever Epidemic. In 1880, the Sisters open Pius Hospital in North County, which also serves as the Sisters’ motherhouse. As their community expanded and more space was needed, the Sisters purchased property at Grand and Chippewa to build a new hospital and motherhouse. While plans for the property were being finalized, the Sisters open a temporary hospital, affectionately called “Little St. Anthony’s”, to meet the needs of their community.
1900
A new St. Anthony’s Hospital opens at Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street in South St. Louis. Patients from Pius Hospital are transferred to St. Anthony’s, and Pius Hospital officially closes.
1948
Archbishop John J. Glennon dedicates the Annex on Arkansas Avenue, featuring new surgical, x-ray, and physical therapy departments. For the first time, St. Anthony’s offers maternity services. All patients are transferred to the Annex while the main hospital undergoes renovations.
1947
When a major polio epidemic reaches St. Louis, few hospitals are equipped to care for patients with the disease. St. Anthony's responds by becoming a leading polio treatment center in the Midwest, and by 1949, is caring for more than 100 polio patients per day.
1962
As the St. Louis region grows westward, the Franciscan Sisters begin planning for a new hospital in St. Louis County. They purchase a peach grove from local farmer Fred Bender and select the site for the future St. Anthony's campus. A petition with 2,000 signatures is sent to the Sisters opposing the move.
1966
Due to limited financial resources, community opposition and a declining number of Franciscan Sisters, the decision is made to not relocate to South County. Since the current hospital could not be modernized, it was announced that the hospital would close in three years. The medical staff organizes a campaign to keep the hospital open.
1967
The Franciscan Sisters transfer governance of the hospital to a lay board, beginning a new chapter in St. Anthony's leadership. Two years later, it is announced that a new medical center in South County will be built, formally reversing the decision to close the hospital.
1975
On March 23, St. Anthony's Medical Center opens at its current location in South St. Louis County.
Volunteers from Scott Air Force Base's Aeromedical Staging Facility help move patients from the former St. Anthony's Hospital at Grand and Chippewa to the new campus.
1977
Hyland Center opens to provide treatment for addition and dependency, followed by St. Anthony's Psychiatric Center. The Hyland Adolescent Center later expands behavioral health services for young people who need specialized support.
1982
The St. Anthony statue is erected outside the main entrance to the hospital. The 12-foot statue was imported from Italy and is made of Carrara marble.
1991
The Franciscan Sisters transfer sponsorship of the hospital to the lay board.
1999
The Fern and Russell de Greeff Hospice House opens as the first nonprofit residential hospice center in the Midwest. Patients with terminal illnesses receive pain management, comfort care and support in a home-like setting.
2008
St. Anthony's Heart & Surgical Center opens in partnership with local cardiologists. The dedicated patient care tower brings advanced heart and surgical services together for patients across the region.
2017
On June 1, 2017, St. Anthony’s Medical Center aligns with Mercy.
A year later, St. Anthony’s becomes Mercy Hospital South, Mercy's fifth acute care hospital in the St. Louis area.
The transition brings together two Catholic health care organizations with a shared commitment to compassionate service for patients and communities.
2020
The David M. Sindelar Cancer Center opens on the Mercy Hospital South campus. The two-story, 78,000-square-foot center brings cancer services together in one location, including infusion therapy, radiation oncology, imaging, laboratory services, integrative medicine and spiritual support.
2021
A renovation of the hospital's fourth floor creates 15 new labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum suites. Larger rooms give families more space throughout labor, birth and recovery, while updated operating rooms support maternity care.
2022
Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital South opens as a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital. The facility cares for adults recovering from neurological conditions, brain and spinal cord injuries and other serious illnesses or injuries.
2025
Construction begins on a major expansion and redesign of the emergency department to meet the growing needs of the community.
The $75 million project expands the emergency department from 39,000 to 65,000 square feet and adds more patient rooms, larger trauma bays, a dedicated behavioral health area and redesigned care spaces to improve visibility and workflow.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
