Our History
Founded by Benjamin C. Russell to provide health services for the employees of Russell
Manufacturing Company and residents of Alexander City, Russell Hospital opened its
doors Wednesday, July 17, 1923. The 55-bed hospital was built on Lee Street across
from Russwood, the Russell family compound, on the current site of the Alexander
City Board of Education. The Colonial style structure featured three and one-half
stories consisting of a large central structure and two wings. The east wing contained
the private rooms while the west wing contained the ward. The hospital provided
general medical, surgical and obstetrical services.
Shortly after its opening a training school for nurses was conducted under the supervision
of Miss Maysie McWilliams, superintendent of the hospital. During the school’s
duration eighteen diplomas were presented to nurses.
Dr. James A. Chapman joined Russell Hospital in 1925 as Chief of Staff and continued
to serve as company doctor until his retirement in the early 1950’s.
In 1941 an annex consisting of five private rooms and a nursery was added to the
rear of the first floor of Russell Hospital. In that same year, Mrs. Elisabeth Russell
(Mrs. J.C.) Alison, the only daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Benjamin Russell, was elected
a vice president of Russell Manufacturing Company and President and Chairman of
the Board of Russell Hospital. She supervised the management of the hospital and
served as President and Chairman of the Board until her death in 1970.
In 1948 another expansion project resulted in the addition of a new delivery room,
lying-in room, a ward, additional private room and sterilizing room. The nursery
was enlarged and a pediatrics ward was opened in the central structure. In addition,
an annex extending from the east wing was completed containing seven rooms for medical
and surgical patients. A free clinic for Russell employees and their families was
also moved to the basement of the new addition.
By 1952 nurses lived on the grounds of the hospital in a 10-bedroom house complete
with living room and kitchen. Although the hospital has always been opened to the
public, it was maintained by Russell Manufacturing Company (which later became Russell
Corporation, an international textile manufacturing company) throughout the first
decades. Mr. J.C. Thornton served as the first business manager.
In 1953, James W Brown, Jr. became hospital administrator. The hospital attained
a giant step in 1959 with accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation
of Hospitals. That same year the Russell Hospital Corporation was organized and
the original Russell Hospital was transferred to the Corporation. Upon transfer
the Corporation began planning for a replacement facility. The existing site, located
on US Highway 280, was acquired from Russell Corporation and construction of a new
100-bed facility commenced in 1963.
The doors of the new hospital, characterized by the modern forest green tile, were
opened to the public on February 2, 1965. The four-story structure contained 62,000
square feet of floor space. Archives from The Alexander City Outlook noted “Rock
of a rather hard quality was encountered in digging the foundation of the building
and over 3,500 sticks of dynamite were required to blast out an adequate foundation.”
The medical facilities were again expanded in 1977, 1990, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2008.
In 1989 the Professional Office Building, adjacent to the hospital was constructed
and dedicated in honor of Mr. James Brown. In 1996 the facility name was changed
from Russell Hospital and Healthcare Centers to Russell Medical Center, reflecting
the changes in services, technology and complexity.
Frank Harris was named President and CEO in 1994. The complex underwent substantial
transformations under his tenure. The 1998 expansion project was the largest undertaking
and included expansion of ambulatory surgery; conversion to all private patient
rooms; ground floor addition of 7,300 square feet, first floor increase of 29,500
square feet, second floor increase of 15,500 square feet and third floor increase
of 3,140 square feet. Hallmarks of this expansion included expanding space for clerical
and patient care areas, fixed base MRI and a cardiac catheterization lab; improved
efficiency of the intensive care unit and addition of an intermediate care (step-down)
unit. The third floor proudly opened four state-of-the-art birthing suites and enhanced
pediatric wing.
In 2001, Phase II of the expansion program was completed with the addition of The
Cancer Center at RMC, The Sleep Disorders Center at RMC and Medical Park Family
Care, located 17 miles away in Dadeville, AL.
Phase III was completed in 2004 featuring Total Fitness, a 20,000 square foot fitness
and rehabilitation facility housing cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, sports
medicine, occupational therapy, medical fitness and aquatic therapy. 30,000 square
feet of additional office space was added to the Professional Office Building for
physician office suites; 3,000 square feet was added to the clinical laboratory
and a new outpatient dialysis suite was constructed. The area’s first true
open MRI was also added to enhance diagnostic imaging capabilities at Russell Medical
Center.
L.E. Peace, III became Russell Medical Center’s current President and CEO
in January, 2008. Under his leadership a new strategic plan has been initiated and
several construction projects and technology upgrades have been launched including
the total renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department and the relocation
of Pre-Admission Testing to the Professional Office Building.
Exciting things are happening at Russell Medical Center! Join us as we continue
to build a, healthy future for the Lake Martin area based on our strong foundation
of the past.
***Thanks to Mr. Tom Saunders for contributing to this section***
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