In 1946, the Women's Progressive Union of Covington began a grass roots movement to build St. Tammany Parish Hospital. For eight years this group kept the idea for a hospital alive by speaking to churches, missionary circles, home economic groups, farmers and sewing circles.

In March of 1951, voters overwhelmingly favored a bond issue to underwrite one-third of the hospital's cost, $125,000. Approval was given for the state's share of construction and for the Hill-Burton and a Board of Commissioners was appointed.

On May 4, 1953, members of St. Tammany Parish Hospital's Board of Commissioners participated in a ground-breaking ceremony for the $365,000 hospital.

Pictured left to right are Dr. M. J. Duplantis, Norma Core, Board Chairman Oliver Hever, Police Jury Secretary L. L. Landon, and Board Vice-President Gus Fritchie.

Construction was almost complete in 1954 when officials realized they did not have enough money to operate the hospital until it became self-sufficient.

Again the people of Covington showed their true support for the hospital. They raised money and donated items to furnish several private rooms, the nursery, the pediatrics ward, operating rooms, and even landscaped the grounds. The first hospital in St. Tammany Parish opened its doors on December 1, 1954.