Our History

Woodland Healthcare’s history of healing dates back to 1905 when a trained nurse, Kathleen McConnell, with her two sisters founded the Woodland Sanitarium in a rented two-story home. At its founding, the Woodland Sanitarium had nine beds, with the second floor of the home serving as a surgical suite.

When the McConnell sisters retired, four doctors built a new sanitarium at Third and Cross Streets to continue providing care in the community. These doctors practiced medicine with an innovative team approach, similar to the model pioneered by the Mayo Clinic. In fact, Dr. Charles Mayo came to Woodland several times to consult during the sanitarium’s expansion in the 1920s.