Community history

Margaret Mary Hospital

The hospital on the hill — ninety beds, twenty bassinets, and a chapel built for a golden anniversary.

BatesvilleLast updated November 13, 2026

Photos

Photos of this place.

Margaret Mary Hospital from above — the long building with the red roof on its green hill, the drive winding up to the entrance. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The hospital from the drive — the stone building with the chapel-like wing at right. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The hospital across its lawn — the red-brick building, a big tree at center. No caption is printed on the card. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

Inside the Memorial Chapel — the altar and crucifix under the arched sanctuary, pews in front, statues in the side niches. No caption is printed on the card. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The back of a hospital postcard: 'Margaret Mary Hospital, Batesville, Ind. Conducted by Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis. Ninety bed Capacity. Modernly equipped and furnished by the Hill-Rom Company.' It is very likely the back of the aerial card above — the publisher marks match — but the pairing is not proven. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The back of a hospital postcard: 'Operated by the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis. 63-Bed capacity, with 20 Bassinets. Modernly furnished by the Hill-Rom Co. Since 1932.' It is very likely the back of the grounds view above, but the pairing is not proven. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The back of the chapel postcard: 'Memorial Chapel, built in 1955. Commemorating the Golden Anniversary of Mr. & Mrs. John A. Hillenbrand.' It is very likely the back of the chapel interior above, but the pairing is not proven. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.

The story so far

What happened here.

Margaret Mary Hospital was conducted by the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis, and modernly furnished by the Hill-Rom Company — since 1932, one card says. The postcards give two different capacities: sixty-three beds with twenty bassinets, and ninety beds. The binder does not say which years each belongs to, and this page does not guess.

The Memorial Chapel was built in 1955, commemorating the golden anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Hillenbrand. Its interior — altar and crucifix under the arched sanctuary, pews in front, statues in the side niches — is one of the four fronts on this page.

A note on the cards: the fronts and backs were scanned on separate binder pages, so the pairings here are publisher-mark hypotheses, not proven front/back pairs. The captions say so where it matters.

Timeline

How it changed hands.

1932

The hospital is modernly furnished by the Hill-Rom Co. — 'since 1932,' one postcard back says. That card gives a 63-bed capacity with 20 bassinets.

1955

The Memorial Chapel is built, commemorating the golden anniversary of Mr. & Mrs. John A. Hillenbrand.

Still to learn

Open questions.

Which front goes with which back? The pairings on this page are publisher-mark hypotheses, not proven front/back pairs.
The cards give two different capacities — 63 beds and ninety beds. Which years does each belong to?
Where exactly did the hospital stand, and what stands there now?

Do you remember this place?

Share a memory, a photo, or a correction — or answer one of the open questions above. Submissions are reviewed by a person before anything appears publicly, and nothing is posted as-is. Photos are used only with your permission and with credit as you give it.

Last updated November 13, 2026. New memories appear here after review.