Our History

Denver in the 1880s was a boomtown as the Gateway to mining towns throughout the Rockies people flocked here from around the country to seek their fortune but another less visible group came to Denver as well consumptives is seeking a cure in the Colorado sunshine and clean mountain air for their wasting disease came to the city some the fortunate few who could afford treatment when sunshine and fresh air failed them found some peace in resorts like Manitou Springs others more often ended up on the city streets penniless homeless and without hope in response to the crisis a few pioneering individuals led by Francis Weiss Bart Jacobs the wife of a wealthy merchant made it their mission to build a facility that would cater to the poorest consumptives who would otherwise be without care together the group led by Jacobs raised funds to build a hospital dedicated to the care of indigent TB patients at the hospital groundbreaking rabbi William Friedman shared the vision for this facility as payne knows no Creed so this building the grand idea of Judaism which is cast aside no stranger no matter of what creed or blood we consecrate this structure to humanity to our suffering fellow man regardless of creed.

On December 10th 1899 Alberta Henson a young Swedish woman from Minnesota who suffered from tuberculosis was admitted for treatment at national Jewish Hospital for treatment of consumptives she was not charged for her treatment no patient was for the first 70 years the facility operated over the next several years the facility added capacity to care for the increasing number of tuberculosis patients including a facility to care for children whose parents were unable to support them due to their illness and need for residential treatment realizing the limitations in treating tuberculosis in January 1915 national jewish opened to the grabb filter building the nation's first medical research facility in a non university setting this allowed physicians and researchers the opportunity to pursue new treatments and cures for tuberculosis and other respiratory illness and began the organization's commitment to discovery and research by 1925 national Jewish was globally recognized as a leader in research and treatment of tuberculosis in that year the Colorado Medical School designated national Jewish as the training center in the treatment of tuberculosis and other just medicine education for their students courses were held at the hospital and taught by National Jewish physicians and staff today National Jewish continues this commitment to educating the next generation of healthcare providers.

History of National Jewish Health

National Jewish Health began serving patients in 1899 in response to the great number of destitute individuals suffering from tuberculosis (then known as consumption) who flocked to Denver for the climate's supposed beneficial effect on respiratory diseases. At the time, no institution in Denver would admit penniless consumptives, and many poor victims of the disease lived and died on the city's streets.

Laying Our Foundation

The institution’s founder, Frances Wisebart Jacobs, the "Mother of Charities,” was known in the late 1800s for her benevolent work in Denver, often stopping to offer food and medical help to the ill. She realized that the homeless consumptives needed more help than she alone could give, so Jacobs set out to raise funds to open a new hospital to treat them. She found support from the Jewish community, which, in November 1889, agreed to plan, fund and build a nonsectarian hospital for the treatment of respiratory diseases, primarily tuberculosis.

The original hospital building was completed in 1893, but due to a nationwide recession, it did not open until 1899. The hospital building was completed in 1893, a year after Jacob's death. In an unfortunate coincidence, however, 1893 also marked the start of a nationwide recession prompted by the Silver Crisis. When funds dried up, the hospital remained empty until 1899, when the National Jewish B'nai B'rith organization was persuaded by Denver Rabbi William Friedman and Louis Anfenger to undertake the opening and maintenance of the hospital. Although originally funded by the Jewish community, from its inception, the hospital’s services have never been limited to a specific religious denomination.

In December 1899 the first patient, a Minnesota woman, checked into the new National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives under its official motto: "None may enter who can pay—none can pay who enter.”

Since that first patient was admitted more than 100 years ago, National Jewish Health has expanded its scope to include many respiratory, immunologic and related disorders. And it has enjoyed a rich clinical, research and academic history. Although economic realities have made it impossible to continue funding patient care entirely through philanthropy, we still provide a very significant amount of free or heavily subsidized care to patients unable to afford total treatment costs.

Our Name

Throughout our history, the National Jewish Health name has evolved.

1899: The National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives
1925: National Jewish Hospital at Denver
1965: National Jewish Hospital and Research Center
1978: National Jewish Hospital/National Asthma Center
1985: National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine
1997: National Jewish Medical and Research Center
2008: National Jewish Health

Clinical, Research and Academic History

Our Mission since 1899 is to heal, to discover and to educate as a preeminent health care institution. Throughout the years, we have been committed to upholding this mission. Learn more about our: