Pueblo’s St. Mary-Corwin Hospital: 130 years of history

Nearly 300 employees are losing their jobs and departments are dissolving at the St. Mary-Corwin Hospital. This hospital has stood as a staple for Pueblo residents for over 130 years.

It’s hard to say when the St. Mary-Corwin hospital began because it used to be two separate entities.

First, in 1881, Colorado Coal and Iron Company formally the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company started their own medical center inside the steel mill treating workers who got hurt on the job. It was called the Minnequa Hospital. The center was run by Dr. Richard Corwin, whose researched helped insulin medicine for diabetic patients. Years later, the name was changed to Corwin Hospital to memorialize the doctor who once worked there.

In 1882, the Sister of Charity started their own medical center in south Pueblo called St. Mary’s Hospital. When the steel mill wanted to separate themselves from their medical center, they sold it to the Sisters of Charity for $1 in the late 1940’s. The sale came with only one exception; they had to keep the Corwin name, thus was created the St. Mary-Corwin Hospital.

The peak time for the hospital was in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s, but after safety regulations were enacted, fewer patients came to the hospital looking for help.

The hospital continued developing over several decades.