Founding, Endowment and Construction

In 1805, the village of Malone was settled. In the ensuing years, a group of concerned citizens realized the need for a hospital to deal with seriously ill people who were forced to travel to Montreal, Ogdensburg, or Cornwall due to the lack of any proper health care facility. In response to the lack of a health care institution, the cadre organized the Malone Hospital Association.

In 1908, Mrs. Mary A. Leighton bequeathed an endowment fund of $10,000 for the cause. In 1910 Clarke J. Lawrence, vice-president of the Farmers’ National Bank of Malone, offered $25,000 for the erection of a building with the following conditions: an equal amount was raised by subscription; the name of the Association be changed to the Alice Hyde Hospital Association; and the hospital be named Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital in memory of his beloved niece who died a year earlier.

A fund raising campaign was started to meet the provisions declared by Mr. Lawrence; approximately $50,000 was raised by the surrounding towns. The money was used to erect a two story building on the corner of Park and Third Street. The cornerstone was laid in 1911 and the hospital formally opened on September 15, 1913. Mr. Lawrence would later bequeath $52,000 as further evidence of his interest in the institution.

Early 20th Century

Throughout the early part of the 20th century the hospital continued to expand in physical size and in the breadth of services it offered to the residents living in and around Malone. This was possible, in part, due to the support and generosity of community members. In 1930, the American Legion made a generous donation that provided a means to build a pediatric ward to be located in The American Legion Memorial Wing. The community supplemented the remaining costs through fund-raising.

1950's and 60's

As the demand for medical care grew in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the hospital’s Board initiated plans to expand in an attempt to meet the increasing need for services. In 1960, a five-story structure housing medical, surgical, obstetrical, and nursing units, as well as dietary, x-ray, emergency, and laundry services opened. In 1968, the Alice Hyde Nursing Home opened to provide a home and 24-hour nursing care for Franklin County’s aging population.

1980's

With the advent of the 1980’s, the medical field experienced great strides in technology. In an effort to keep pace with these advances the hospital opened the Ben and Irene Bregman Memorial Wing in 1989. The new wing housed a fully computerized pharmacy, an emergency department, ambulatory services, laboratory, and a medical imaging department.

1990's and 2000's

The past twenty years have been a time of exceptional growth and change for the hospital. Since 1996 the Medical Center has established five health centers and opened cancer, hemodialysis, ambulatory, and orthopedic and rehabilitation centers. In 1999, Alice Hyde Hospital was renamed the Alice Hyde Medical Center, a reflection of the evolution from an acute care facility to a health care facility that offers comprehensive and specialty services. And, the Medical Center continued its commitment to providing progressive medicine with the addition of an MRI suite, a 64-slice scanner, and a leading-edge information system. In 2009, Alice Hyde Medical Center was recognized as the Organization of the Year by the Malone Chamber of Commerce for its efforts to pursue innovative medicine, growth, and community programs.