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In the mid 1940s, Texas Children's
Foundation is formed to develop plans and secure community support for
a children's hospital.
At the beginning of the 1950s,
Leopold L. Meyer secures a
$1-million commitment from James S.
Abercrombie to build a hospital for children on the condition it will
be "open to every sick or hurt child with no restrictions on religion,
color, or whether or not they can pay."
Contracts
 > The Boards of Texas Children's
and St. Luke's Hospitals sign a contract to construct adjoining
buildings and operate under joint administration. This
arrangement continues for 35 years.
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Dr. David
Greer, president of Texas Children's Hospital Foundation, architect
Milton Foy Martin and Dr. Russell Blattner view plans for the new hospital
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Baylor College of Medicine chairman of
pediatrics, Dr.
Russell Blattner, and architect, Milton Foy Martin, tour children's
hospitals in Mexico City, Cincinnati, Baltimore, New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and
Denver to find the best features of each hospital to incorporate into
Texas Children's.
Construction begins
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May 23, 1951 -
Children, physicians, staff and community leaders gather for
groundbreaking ceremonies.
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In 1951, after months of data
collection and preparation, a contract with the Tellepsen Construction Company is signed in the office of J.S.
Abercrombie, chairman of the board of the hospital to begin hospital
construction.
February 1, 1954
Texas Children's Hospital
opens, and the first patient is admitted. Private rooms in the
three-story, 106-bed building are $15 per day.
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Growth and expansion
 < In
1967, construction begins as truckloads of
steel beams arrive on front lawn of TCH for new building.
Expansion is completed in 1969, more than
doubling the rooms to 222!
Country's largest pediatric hospital
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Mark A. Wallace, executive director and
CEO, Dr. James Hoyle, president of medical staff and
Dr. Ralph Feigin,
physician-in-chief, view progress as expansion nears completion.
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>
In 1989, Texas Children's Hospital embarks on $130-million expansion that includes two new buildings.
Completion of hospital expansion in 1991
brings the licensed bed total to 456, the
country's largest freestanding pediatric hospital.
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