In 1860, three Chinese men settled in El Pueblo de Los Angeles, a dry, dusty area with nothing but scrubbrush growing and prickly tumbleweeds rolling across hard adobe soil.
During March of the same year, thirty-three citizens of French origin met at the French Consulate in Los Angeles to form a mutual protection health society. Five years later, four lots of land at the corner of College and Castelar Streets were purchased and the cornerstone was laid on October 4, 1869. The building was completed on March 15, 1870 except for finishing the second story roof. It was perhaps the first hospital of its kind in the city of Los Angeles. In the years that followed, the hospital grew on its four original lots, along with the city of Los Angeles, and the one-story roofless original structure evolved into the present 155 bed modem hospital.
In 1901, a new hospital was built. In 1916, the eastern wing was replaced and in 1926 the western wing was added and a dining area built. In 1944, the Medical Record Room was constructed. In 1962, another rehabilitation program together with the complete hospital renovation was completed. Again, in 1972 an expansion project and alterations of the main building added to the creation of the present hospital.
This year, the French Hospital celebrates its 125th year of service to the community in the heart of Chinatown. In recognition of this celebration, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California presented a res9lution to the French Hospital for its continued service in many languages to all people with benefit especially to the people of Chinatown.
L to R: Angi Wong, Deborah Dyer, Director Corporate Development at French Hospital, Ella Quan