LA PLATA, Md. (June 21, 2021) – UM Charles Regional Medical Center, the Town of La Plata, and the La Plata Historic Preservation Commission dedicated a bronze plaque commemorating the history of the Irene Davis Pavilion, which was the original Physicians Memorial Hospital that opened in 1939.
La Plata Mayor Jeannine James, Town Council members Jim Goldsmith, Matt Trollinger, Evalyne Bryant-Ward, and David Jenkins, La Plata Historic Preservation Commission members Mary Beth Chandler and Paddy Mudd, and UM Charles Regional President and CEO Noel Cervino unveiled the plaque Tuesday, June 15, which is attached to a large rock at the corner of the Irene Davis Pavilion property near the main entrance.
The commemoration project was initiated by the La Plata Historic Preservation Commission, a few members of which were born at the original Physicians Memorial Hospital. What is now the Irene Davis Pavilion was used for various county offices, including as a sheriff’s office, after the first portion of the current hospital was opened in 1963. The building ended up back in the hospital’s hands a little over 10 years ago and was refurbished for office use. It currently holds Human Resources, the Greater Baden Clinic, the hospital foundation, and the marketing and communication offices.
The plaque reads: Physicians Memorial Hospital 1939 – 1963 – This historic structure was the first hospital in Charles County. Public demand for a local medical facility came after the 1926 tornado in which thirteen school children and four townspeople perished. It is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who compassionately cared for the residents of Charles County. La Plata Historic Preservation Commission – 2020.
Outdoor Creations, a full-service landscaping firm based in Waldorf, donated the landscaping associated with the project.