History of St. John

Ascension St. John, 100 years of careAscension St. John, 100 years of care

Celebrating 100 years of care

Join us to look back at a century at St. John — honoring the past, guided by faith, shaping our future.

How it all began

St. John Hospital was founded by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother in 1926 to care for the sick. The hospital was built on a strawberry patch with 50 beds available for patients in need and scheduled to open February 22, 1926. However, a woman in need of maternity care came to St. John Hospital eight days before, so the hospital opened to welcome the first baby, Lillian Patricia Brown, on February 14, 1926.

Built with trust and persistence

St. John's Chief Mission Integration Officer, Ron Tremblay, BBC, LPC, shares more about St. John's heritage.

Twelve years in the making

1914: The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, an order of nuns originally from Germany who were running a hospital in Wichita, Kansas, were invited to Tulsa to open a hospital. At the time, Tulsa had no paved highways and relied on bottled water.

March 31, 1917: The sisters sign a contract for the construction of a hospital.

April 6, 1917: The U.S. declared war on Germany and entered World War I.

August 29, 1917: The sisters bought eight acres of land on a strawberry patch farm at the corner of 21st and Utica. The land cost $16,000 and is where Ascension St. John Medical Center stands today.

1917-1920: Along with the war came fundraising issues. Many people pledged money to build the hospital; however, not many followed through. But still, the sisters persisted.

February 11, 1920: A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new hospital by Gen. John Pershing.

March 2, 1922: Work on the hospital stopped due to a lack of finances.

1922-1925: The building sat empty for three years with no progress. It became known as "The Ghost." The sisters nearly gave up, but were determined to build the hospital.

The estimated cost to complete it was $1.24 million. Then, the oil boom happened, and Tulsa boomed along with, bringing in more fundraising for the hospital.

January 2, 1925: Work on the hospital resumed.

May 12, 1925: Hundreds attended the blessing of the hospital's cornerstone.

February 14, 1926: The first baby, Lillian Patricia Brown, was born at St. John, eight days before the hospital was scheduled to open.

February 22, 1926: St. John Hospital officially opened. It already had seven patients prior to the opening, showing the need for the medical facility in the growing community.

A century in photos

Picture of Ascension St. John Medical Center (2023)
Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother with Tulsa's Catholic Bishop David A. Konderla (2016)
Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother taking picture with two local women in 1917
Martha Harrison, one of the many nurses that graduate from the St. John’s School of Nursing diploma program in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The construction of what is now Ascension St. John's Chapman tower in 1975
St. John’s School of Nursing graduates, class of 1963, Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. John’s School of Nursing graduating class of 1963 yearbook
St. John’s School of Nursing graduating class of 1929, Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. John’s School of Nursing, nurse's residence, Tulsa, Oklahoma
One of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother in the pharmacy filling prescriptions
St. John’s School of Nursing plaque, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1937
One of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother and alumni reading a cardiograph results
One of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother and alumni going over lesson
One of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother and visiting a patient who gave birth to twins
Sister Angestina, one of the many sisters that were part of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother
Sister Connie and Sister Ann holding babies.
One of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother and alumni going over lesson
Tower ribbon cutting in 1976
Sister Therese, one of the many sisters that were part of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother and the last CEO of St. John Medical Center (1970)
Sister Therese (left) and Sister Edith (right), two of the many sisters that were part of the Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother, 1974
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother, 1950
Two Sisters and a nurse preparing chicken in the kitchen of the St. John hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. John Hospital front, 1930
St. John’s School of Nursing, nurse's residence, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1930
St. John Hospital front, 1920
St. John Hospital nurses taking a break on the rooftop of the hospital, 1930s
Postcard showing the St. John Hospital and Tulsa skyline, early 1970s
St. John Hospital west side, 1957
Sister Therese and Tulsa's Catholic Bishop David A. Konderla (2016)
Sister taking care of a young patient in pediatrics
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother, 2008
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother, 2016
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother, 2001
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother check medical equipment at St. John Medical Center
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother in the kitchen cooking meals for patients at St. John Medical Center
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother taking picture at night of the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Sister's of the Sorrowful Mother at the St. John employee award banquet, 5/12/1980
St. John hospital chapel, 1931
St. John Hospital entrance on 1923 S. Utica in Tulsa, Oklahoma. in 1980
St. John Hospital entrance on 1923 S. Utica in Tulsa, Oklahoma. in 1980
Mother Frances Streitel, the foundress of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother who founded St. John Hospital. Her calling was to care for the poor and live a dedicated spiritual live.
St. John Hospital monthly editorial, The Pulse, informing the change of leadership. March 1974
Sister and The LaFortunes
Sister fixing nurse's headwear
Angela and her family

Centennial Voices: Coming home to build the future

Angela felt called to come back to the place where she started her career to help the Tulsa community explore careers in healthcare.

READ HER STORY

Then, now, always

Care isn’t just a calling here — it’s a promise we’ve kept for generations.

 

Centennial Voices: Karen

How one associate’s grandfather helped lay the foundation for St. John Hospital.

Centennial Voices: Martha

Martha’s mother worked at St. John Hospital and would bring Martha with her to work. To Martha, the hospital was a playground. And her playmates? The sisters who ran it.

Centennial Voices: Sister Loretta

Through challenges and uncertainty, the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother remained steadfast in their mission in Tulsa.

Helping you live more fully

Ron Tremblay, Chief Mission Integration Officer, shares his love for his job and the opportunity to serve the patient and patient’s family well.

Believe in what you do

With 16 years at Ascension St. John, Linda Jordan shares how faith and joy have kept her moving forward.

St. John is a family

From the age of 12, Krista Norrid knew she wanted to be a nurse and save lives. Today, she's a Trauma Program Manager.

A passion for helping patients

John Mark Griffith, Patient Care Technician, draws on his own experiences at Ascension St. John to serve others.

Faith is the foundation

Jane Hahn, RN Supervisor, was born at St. John. Now, she’s here to support you — spiritually, mentally, and physically.