Eventually, the brothers formed a partnership and bought the 300 block between East Front and Main Street, site of the present Missoula City-County Library. There they built a 42-bed hospital, completed in 1922, for $110,000. It was one of the most modern and best-equipped hospitals in Montana - constructed with reinforced concrete, lined with tile and faced with brick. It included a basement and three stories.
Adjoining the hospital was a 16-room nurses' home, formerly the residence of A. B. Hammond, founder of the Missoula Mercantile.
The hospital basement housed the kitchen, cold-storage room, dining room, laundry and living quarters for the employees.
The first floor contained the business offices, waiting room, three doctors' offices, X-ray, laboratory, emergency rooms and several private rooms.
On the second floor were patients' rooms and a small ward. The operating room and rooms for obstetric patients were on the third floor.
 First hospital built in Bitterroot Valley by Dr. William Thornton, 1910 |
 Thornton Hospital built 1917 |
 Thornton Hospital 1972 |
Subsequent Owners
Dr. Will and Dr. Charles ran the hospital until 1943, when Dr. Will
died. Previously, he had sold his interest to Dr. Rudolph E. Wirth, who
with Dr. Charles operated the hospital as partners until 1947 when it
was purchased by the Memorial Hospital Association of Western Montana.
The Association had been formed after World War II in response to a
severe shortage of hospital beds and facilities in Western Montana.
Concerned citizens had incorporated the association to study Western
Montana's medical needs and to collect funds for medical purposes.
After 1947, the newly named Memorial Hospital was operated on a
non-profit basis, and 30 local physicians established a council to
advise the board.
