History of Healdsburg District Hospital

picture of nurse with patient You can still see the place Healdsburg District Hospital began life in 1905. It was in the right wing of the home of Dr. J. Walter Seawall at 211 North Street-now the Camellia Inn. It was called Healdsburg General then, and a doctor's visit cost $2. Dr. Seawall and his partner, Dr. Frank E. Sohler, were hard-working, dedicated, and innovative physicians who insisted on the best equipment and the latest medical technology for their north county hospital. This, along with the sunshine and fresh air, attracted first-rate skilled staff to the hospital.

Not much has changed. The hospital has moved location several times, and a doctor's visit does cost a bit more than $2, but HDH still provides state-of-the-art technology and excellent care. The residents of northern Sonoma County recognize the value of the high-quality healthcare they receive from caring professionals who live and work in the same communities. Just as in 1929, when local residents raised $50,000 for a new building after the hospital burned down, in 2001 local residents overwhelmingly approved a property tax to keep the hospital alive. On April 1, 2002, the North Sonoma County Hospital District took possession of the nearly 100-year old hospital, and renamed it Healdsburg District Hospital.