Morton Plant Hospital
Encyclopedia
Morton Plant Hospital is a 687 bed hospital at 300 Pinellas Street in Clearwater, Florida
. Morton Plant is community-based and provides services in more than fifty specialty areas. This hospital is part of the greater BayCare Health System. Morton Plant celebrated the opening of the Morgan Heart Hospital in 2006.
Morton Freeman Plant was the son of Henry Bradley Plant, founder of the Plant System
of railroads, steamships, and associated hotels. In 1905, Morton F. Plant built a second home in the then-small town of Clearwater, Florida
, near the Belleview Biltmore hotel established by his father. He maintained a mansion in New York City
, New York
, at the corner of 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. In 1918, while on vacation, Plant's son was injured in a car accident and required medical attention. However, there was not a hospital in Clearwater and to get the help, Plant used his railroad connections to have a surgical team brought down by rail from New York along with a special surgical car. Afterwards, Plant pledged money for the building of a hospital in Clearwater, with the city coming up with the other half.
The site chosen was one of the high bluffs, unique in peninsular Florida, overlooking Clearwater Bay. The main hospital building faces west toward the Intracoastal Waterway
, the barrier islands, and the Gulf of Mexico
.
The current main building, known as The Witt building, was constructed in 1966. Other buildings include The Barnard building, The Adler Building, The Sarah Walker Women's Pavilion, The Roebling Building (demolished in 2005), The Cantonis Building which houses the ER and day surgery, The Ptak Neuroscience building, The Carlisle Imaging building, the Cheek-Powell Heart and Vascular Building and The Ptak Rehabilation Center. The new Morgan Heart Building replaced the Roebling Building.
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. Morton Plant is community-based and provides services in more than fifty specialty areas. This hospital is part of the greater BayCare Health System. Morton Plant celebrated the opening of the Morgan Heart Hospital in 2006.
History
Plant System
The Plant System was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system, named after its owner, Henry B...
of railroads, steamships, and associated hotels. In 1905, Morton F. Plant built a second home in the then-small town of Clearwater, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, near the Belleview Biltmore hotel established by his father. He maintained a mansion in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, at the corner of 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. In 1918, while on vacation, Plant's son was injured in a car accident and required medical attention. However, there was not a hospital in Clearwater and to get the help, Plant used his railroad connections to have a surgical team brought down by rail from New York along with a special surgical car. Afterwards, Plant pledged money for the building of a hospital in Clearwater, with the city coming up with the other half.
The site chosen was one of the high bluffs, unique in peninsular Florida, overlooking Clearwater Bay. The main hospital building faces west toward the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
, the barrier islands, and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
The current main building, known as The Witt building, was constructed in 1966. Other buildings include The Barnard building, The Adler Building, The Sarah Walker Women's Pavilion, The Roebling Building (demolished in 2005), The Cantonis Building which houses the ER and day surgery, The Ptak Neuroscience building, The Carlisle Imaging building, the Cheek-Powell Heart and Vascular Building and The Ptak Rehabilation Center. The new Morgan Heart Building replaced the Roebling Building.