The acquisition
was announced at a press conference held at the
site. Attending were community leaders from Cape,
Jackson and Scott City; representatives of the
Southeast Missouri Hospital Board of Trustees;
Foundation Board;, Hospital Auxiliary; College
of Nursing and Health Sciences Board; and Hospital
department heads and nurse managers.
Also present were members of the Armstrong family
who donated the 4.2 acres in memory of their parents.
Representing the family Trust were Olive Keller
and Bonnie Ludwig and Bonnie's husband Vernon
Ludwig. Carl Armstrong and Eileen Armstrong Gannon
were unable to attend. Their brother Russell died
in 1982.
Administrator James W. Wente called the event
an "historic day for Southeast. Seventy-three
years ago, when Southeast Missouri Hospital opened
its doors, the Hospital stood on the westernmost
boundary of Cape Girardeau. Today Southeast is
once again on the city's westernmost boundary,
and once again prepared to meet the future."
He said approval of the property acquisition is
"one of the greatest things the Board of
Trustees has ever done to position Southeast Missouri
Hospital for the future."
Wente noted that since Southeast opened in 1928,
the Hospital has completed 12 major expansions.
"The face of our campus has changed dramatically
over the years," Wente said. "We're
proud of the Hospital and we're proud to be in
the heart of Cape Girardeau."
He said Southeast also realizes that as the community
grows in a westward direction, just as it did
almost three-quarters of a century ago, "we
must plan for future growth in that direction
as well."
Wente said the Hospital's main campus will be
Southeast's anchor for years and years to come.
He added that "many of the services that
we now offer and those that we forsee in the future
will be ambulatory. It is likely that some of
these will be developed at the West Campus."
The Hospital, Wente said, will study the healthcare
needs of the region to help determine how best
to utilize the land. Price of the transaction
was not disclosed. Board of Trustees First Vice
President Narvol Randol said the 4.2-acre gift
of land by the Armstrong Heritage Trust is a significant
one that is deeply appreciated by the Hospital.
The acreage is a part of what is known as Silver
Springs Farm, settled in 1925 by Florian and Lula
Armstrong. Silver Springs Farm, a part of which
is preserved by the Silver Springs Historical
Trust, is the site of the original Andrew Ramsey
home which was built in 1795.
Andrew Ramsey was the first
American settler in the Cape Girardeau area. The
original, two-story log cabin built by Ramsey
still exists within the walls of the Armstrong
farm house and is said to be one of the oldest
buildings still standing between Ste. Genevieve
and Memphis.
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