History of Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh

On April 12, 2023, Michele Matucheski, MLIS, AHIP,  Ascension Wisconsin Medical Librarian and accidental Archivist for Legacy Affinity, gave a presentation* on the History of Mercy Hospital at the old Mercy Lakeside in Oshkosh, now Bella Vista Assisted Living. 

Attendees learned about: 

• Our humble beginnings when 3 Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother came to Oshkosh and started St Mary's Hospital in 1891.  
• In 1918, The Sisters purchased Lakeside Hospital and renamed it Mercy.  
• The Mercy School of Nursing
• Building additions through the years
• Oshkosh Physicians important to Mercy's history
• Dr. ME Corbett 
• Dr. Oviatt
• Dr. Connell
• The Clark Family
• Technology Firsts at Mercy
• Moving to the new Mercy on the west side in 2000

If you want to know more about Mercy's long history in Oshkosh, check out the following resources:

• Slide Presentation (Rev. Apr. 2023)
• Slide Presentation with Speaker Notes (Rev. Apr. 2023)
• Mercy Hospital (Archives Website)
• Hallmarks of Mercy Historical Display (digital version)
• Relevant Chapters from "The Red Book"
• Mercy Medical Center, Oshkosh, WI - Chapter XIII from The Red Book (PDF) (28 pages) 
• St. Mary's Hospital, Oshkosh, WI - Chapter XII from The Red Book (pdf) (45 pages)

* This presentation was pre-approved by Gene Ford of Ascension Marketing & Communications.

Questions or Comments, contact:  Michele Matucheski, MLIS, AHIP 

Our AW Library website is available 24/7.

MSN Yearbook Digitized

I finally took the time to digitize the Mercy School of Nursing (MSN) Commemorative Yearbook 1908 - 1982 – in color and online.

People can download or print pages to their heart’s content!

Take a look at the album on Google Photos:

• The MSN School of Nursing Commemorative Yearbook 1908 - 1982

By popular demand, we've finally digitized this most-often requested yearbook. Feel free to download pictures, and add your comments.

Please share with the MSN Alumni.  I’m so happy to finally be able to offer this to you all.  😉

Many thanks to my superb Volunteer, Nancy Wilms, for adding the captions and all the names to each page, which makes it more find-able on Google. 

It is also available on the Affinity Library Archives Page for The Mercy School of Nursing [This is NEW Link so update your favorites / bookmarks]:

•    Includes a short video explaining how to view and print pictures from Google Photos.
•    You may need to sign into the Photo Album with a Google account for access to added features, such as ordering a printed book with photos YOU select.
•    The MSN Archives page also contains other items of interest relating to the Mercy School of Nursing.

Questions or comments, please contact

Michele Matucheski, MLS, AHIP

Medical Librarian & Archivist

Updated April 2023