Pennsylvania Hospital

Pennsylvania Hospital
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Main building of Pennsylvania Hospital
Geography
Location	800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Coordinates	39°56′41.2″N 75°9′22.56″W / 39.944778°N 75.1562667°W / 39.944778; -75.1562667Coordinates: 39°56′41.2″N 75°9′22.56″W / 39.944778°N 75.1562667°W / 39.944778; -75.1562667
Organization
Care system	Private
Funding	Non-profit hospital
Hospital type	Teaching
Affiliated university	Perelman School of Medicine
Network	University of Pennsylvania Health System
Services
Beds	534
History
Founded	1751
Links
Website	pennmedicine.org/pahosp
Lists	Hospitals in the United States
Pennsylvania Hospital
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Pennsylvania state historical marker
The Pennsylvania Hospital by William Strickland (1755)
Location	800 Spruce Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Built	December 17, 1756
Architect	Samuel Rhoads
Architectural style	Colonial and Federal (Pine Building)
NRHP Reference #	66000688
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	June 22, 1965
Designated PHMC	December 17, 1954

Pennsylvania Hospital is a private, non-profit, 534-bed teaching hospital located in Center City Philadelphia and affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Founded on May 11, 1751, by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond, Pennsylvania Hospital is the 2nd oldest hospital in the United States with Bellevue in New York City being the oldest (founded March 31, 1736). It is also home to America's first surgical amphitheatre and its first medical library. The hospital's main building, dating to 1756, is a National Historic Landmark.

Pennsylvania Hospital was originally conceived in 1751 by Dr. Thomas Bond as an institution "for the reception and cure of the sick poor ... free of charge" and was funded grace to donations of the people of Philadelphia. On September 2, 1751, Mathias Koplin donated the first plot of ground for the new hospital. The first (temporary) building was opened on February 6, 1752, on High Street (now Market Street). Elizabeth Gardner, a Quaker widow, was appointed Matron of the hospital. As the hospital received support of the leading families in Philadelphia, its permanence was secured, and Samuel Rhoads was appointed architect of the new building.

Thomas Stretch was among the leading citizens of Philadelphia and one of the founders of Pennsylvania Hospital. He was a member of the Union Fire Company, also known as Benjamin Franklin's Bucket Brigade and a founder of the social club known as Schuylkill Fishing Company, and the Club’s first governor in 1732, re-elected annually until his death in 1765. Stretch was a director of the Philadelphia Contributionship (Hand-in-Hand fire mark) from 1758 to 1761.