Caring for Washington Since 1856

Providence was formed by the journeys of courageous Catholic Sisters who sought to meet the needs of the communities they served. Two congregations in particular – the Sisters of Providence and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange – had major roles in establishing and guiding the health system Providence is today.

Providence ministries in Washington trace their beginnings to a cold December day in 1856, when Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart and four other Sisters of Providence arrived in Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. The Sisters quickly opened their humble home to orphans and the elderly, and began their Mission of serving all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Pioneering Firsts in Washington Health Care and Education

Within months of their arrival, the Sisters began caring for the elderly, the sick and orphaned children. By 1857, they opened Providence Academy, and one year later, they opened St. Joseph Hospital – the Northwest’s first permanent school and hospital. The Sisters of Providence incorporated their acts of charity in 1859, and word of their good works quickly spread.

Wherever they traveled in the Washington Territory, they found need and a way to serve it. They opened schools in Steilacoom, Walla Walla and the Tulalip Reservation. They built hospitals across the state – Providence Hospital (now Swedish Cherry Hill Campus) in Seattle in 1877, followed by St. Mary Hospital (now Providence St. Mary Medical Center) in Walla Walla in 1880, Sacred Heart Hospital (now Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center) in Spokane in 1886 and St. Peter Hospital in Olympia in 1887. In 1891, they opened St. Elizabeth Hospital (since closed) and St. Ignatius Hospital (now Whitman Community Hospital) in 1893.

Mother Joseph: Compassion in Action

Mother Joseph was the visionary leader of the Sisters’ work in Washington state and beyond. She designed and supervised the building of many hospitals and schools the Sisters managed. At the time of her death in 1902, the Sisters operated 17 hospitals and eight schools in Washington, Montana, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, California and Alaska, with several missions in western Canada.

In 1980, Mother Joseph was named Washington’s second representative in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. In 1999, the Washington legislature passed a bill declaring her birthday, April 16, as Mother Joseph Day. More than a century after her death, her contributions to health care, education and social services continue to be recognized across America.

Ushering in Modern Healthcare

Following Mother Joseph’s death, the Sisters continued to grow their existing ministries and open new ones across Washington – including Providence Hospital in Everett in 1905, Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle in 1924 and Spokane’s St. Joseph Home for the Aged (now the O’Malley Apartments) in 1925.

At the same time, the German-heritage Dominican Sisters of Dominican Health Services were establishing St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chewelah, Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville and Holy Family Hospital. By 1993, the Dominican Sisters of Spokane had become a smaller congregation, and with a strong desire that quality health care continue to be available in the communities they served, they transferred sponsorship to the Sisters of Providence for one dollar.

A year later, in 1994, Empire Health Services and Providence combined specialized rehabilitation services to open Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center.

Joining Forces for Healthy Communities

In 2012, Providence Health & Services affiliated with Swedish Health Services, a not-for-profit, community-sponsored health system. To continue to meet the growing medical needs of the region, Providence affiliated with Kadlec Regional Medical Center in 2014.

Further growth occurred in 2016, when Providence Health & Services (founded by the Sisters of Providence) joined with St. Joseph Health (founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange) to establish Providence St. Joseph Health. The health system combines the two systems to strengthen the Mission across seven Western states.

Today, Providence carries forward the legacy of these pioneers by reimagining the future of healthcare delivery and improving the health of individuals and communities across seven western states. The Providence family of organizations remains rooted in its Mission to serve all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable, and committed to fulfilling its vision of Health for a Better World.