Cherry County Hospital marks 50 years with celebration, giveaways

VALENTINE, Neb. - Cherry County Hospital is marking 50 years at its Green Street location in Valentine with a celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in the hospital’s conference room and will feature free blood pressure checks, a random drawing for lab work, and health information on colon and breast cancer awareness and prevention. Visitors can also enjoy cookies and coffee, meet hospital staff, and view displays highlighting the hospital’s long history in the Sandhills.

Cherry County’s health care roots stretch back more than a century. In 1912, Father Blaire opened Sandhills General Hospital, which was later managed by several community leaders, including Dr. Lynch and the local Methodist church. By the 1930s, the Tyler family took over operations, running the hospital for more than four decades.

In 1971, the Cherry County Hospital Board assumed management, and just a few years later, a bond issue paved the way for the construction of a modern facility on Green Street, which officially opened in 1975.

Since then, the hospital has continued to expand. Additions in the 1990s and 2000s brought new outpatient services, a clinic, and renovations to nearly every department. In 2017, the hospital unveiled two new state-of-the-art operating rooms and updated patient care wings.

Now, as Cherry County Hospital celebrates its 50th anniversary at the Green Street location, leaders say the milestone is not just about looking back but also about planning for the future of health care in the region.