Local Physician Writes About the History of NARH
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Dr. Paul Donovan, a long-time practicing physician in North Adams, has written and published the first part of a three-part series on the history of North Adams Regional Hospital.
"I was moved to write this because on a very personal level, I worked at the hospital for 22 years and I felt a deep sense of loyalty to my fellow physicians and employees, the patients and their families we treated and the institution itself,” Dr. Donovan said. “On a historical level, unfortunately the hospital no longer exists, and I did not want its 129 years of existence to be lost and unrecorded.”
NARH closed in March 2014 after filing for bankruptcy.
Part I of the series covers the years 1882-1910. In 1882, a catastrophic train accident galvanized a small group of North Adams residents to initiate the concept of a hospital, which was built with private donations and opened in March 1885. Part I concludes with a major reorganization in 1909-1910 due to financial difficulties.
Part II will cover the years 1910-1955 and Part III, 1955-2014. They are expected to be published in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
"This has been a major undertaking for me in terms of time spent researching this important historical work, in light of maintaining a full-time medical practice and family obligations,” Dr. Donovan said. “I would like to thank the North Adams Historical Society and the North Adams Public Library for their help in this venture.”
The book can be purchased now online. It will be available at local bookstores starting in July. Comments regarding the work are welcomed. Email the author at emsportmed2015@gmail.com.
Dr. Donovan is an Emergency Medicine and Sports Medicine specialist practicing in North Adams and Bennington, Vt. He was a member of the NARH Medical Staff for 25 years and served as medical staff president from 2008-2010, and as director of the NARH Emergency Department. He lives in Stamford, Vt., with his wife Janet Green, who also worked at NARH as a registered nurse.
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