New Bedford’s Former Union Hospital Is All But Forgotten

If you are of a certain age, you may remember when New Bedford had another full-service hospital besides St. Luke's Hospital on Page Street.

Union Hospital was at 4499 Acushnet Avenue in the far North End of New Bedford between the Sassaquin area and the Freetown border. Some of your older relatives may have been born there. Check the obituaries closely for references to Union Hospital.

I remember Union Hospital, but not many people seem to. It's difficult to find information about it; believe me, I have tried.

Get our free mobile app

I must express my great appreciation to the New Bedford Free Public Library Reference and History Departments for their patience and assistance in helping me to compile what little information I have about Union Hospital.

According to NBFPL researchers, "A search of the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Card File shows that Union Hospital was initially incorporated on 19 June 1918 and was dissolved by Chapter 180 in 1922."

The researchers say, "In October 1929, it was reincorporated as 'Union Hospital of New Bedford, Inc.," and in August 1954, it became Union Convalescent and Nursing Home of New Bedford, Inc.

The photos used in this story, courtesy of Spinner Publications, are dated 1964.

NBFPL research shows that in June 1981, Union Hospital became Parkwood Hospital. In 1987, Parkwood Hospital was acquired by St. Luke's Hospital.

The trail seems to cool there, with little else known about Union Hospital and even less about Parkwood Hospital.

The Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania-based Vibra Healthcare currently occupies 4499 Acushnet Avenue. Vibra operates nearly two dozen critical care, medical rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities in over a dozen states.