Mayers Through the Decades

A lot has happened at Mayers Memorial Hospital District since the 1950's and there is a lot more to come. We invite you to take this historical journey with us over the next few months. Read more about how it all began:

Mayers Memorial Hospital was first formed in the hearts and minds of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Mayers, who arrived in the Intermountain region in 1938. Like many country doctors, Dr. Mayers received much of his pay in produce and often gave up his own bed to a patient who needed care. Over the years, Dr. & Mrs. Mayers began to envision a hospital that would provide the needs of residents in these rural communities.

In 1951, Dr. Mayers held a meeting in his home to share his vision with local citizens. As he presented the benefits a local hospital would bring, it did not take long for key community leaders to join him in his vision. Enthusiasm spread very quickly and the community eagerly backed his plan. Only one month later, long before the hospital could become a reality, Dr. Mayers and his wife were killed in a tragic automobile accident. Broken hearted by the loss but motivated to carry on the dream, the residents of Fall River Mills and surrounding communities began to raise funds to build a rural community hospital in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Mayers. Anna McArthur, one of the community's local residents, donated land on which to build the hospital. Numerous residents joined forces to raise the funds necessary to realize their goal.

A daunting task for any community, raising enough money to build a hospital would likely not have been feasible for this rural region if not for Bing Crosby, one of the part-time residents of the Intermountain area. With help from community organizers, Mr. Crosby agreed to put on a benefit show to help raise the necessary funds. What began as a small show in the garden of the Jack Martin's Rising River Ranch skyrocketed into a gala production at the Intermountain Fairgrounds. Local residents were the driving force in the planning and organizing of this incredible event, and Bing Crosby, Phil Harris and other Hollywood celebrities helped draw crowds from well beyond the region. Needless to say, the fundraiser was a great success. A year later, at the request of local community members, Mr. Crosby and friends produced a second show to help finance the furnishings and equipment for Mayers Memorial Hospital. Construction of the 10-bed building was completed in March 1956.