April 24, 2026
Overview
Below, you can learn about the history of the hospital, including several expansions, sales developments, and where it stands today. All sources used are listed at the bottom of this page.
The Past
The original 3-story hospital, built in 1890, measured 35 by 54 feet and contained seventeen rooms that could house roughly 50 patients. The hospital ran under the care of nuns who were sent to Eau Claire from the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Springfield, Illinois. The large brick building was built with the intention of serving as a hospital or medical clinic, something it continued to do for decades to come. The building shared its name with a Catholic church, which sat directly next to it.
While the hospital had a short supply of beds, it had roughly 95 percent of its occupancy rate in its first year (275 patients). However, as the Chippewa Valley continued to grow, so did the demand for patient beds. The first major addition occurred in 1910 & 1912, in which the hospital was expanded to house 160 patient beds. Several more expansions took place between 1920 and 1950 before plans to build a new hospital came into fruition.
When resources, space, and technology meant that hospital resources became strained, Hospital Administrator Sister Clarine Schmidt, in 1959, “organized a hospital Advisory Board of community members (today known as the Advisory Council) to provide counsel on civic and community needs to help Sacred Heart Hospital with its next generation planning to provide for the sick and care for people with traumatic injuries” (Hospital Sisters Health System). In 1962, ground first broke on the new $12 million facility.
For seven decades, the original Sacred Heart stood on North Dewey Street. Then, in 1964, the new location opened near Clairemont Avenue. The original Sacred Heart Hospital then continued to serve as Eau Claire Academy, a child and adolescent treatment center, before being moved after 55 years of service to a different location in Eau Claire.
1964 till The Present
Opening in 1964, “new Sacred Heart boasted 275 beds, up-to-date laundry facilities, newly enlarged convent facilities to house 45 nuns, and pediatrics with bright rooms” (WQOW). The hospital was constructed with a chapel, auditorium, a tube messaging system that predated fax machines and email, and (by 1969) could accommodate roughly 400 patients at a time. In its lifetime, the hospital would serve thousands, run training programs, and host services such as radiation oncology and other medicines as part of a nuclear medicine department.
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire was forced to close its doors on March 22, 2024, due to prolonged financial and operational stress, including inflation, workforce shortages, and pandemic-related challenges. HSHS was put under strain after nearly 10 million dollars in losses in 2020, leading to the inability to maintain medical services and staff. The decision was finalized after the system failed to find a suitable partner to take over operations, leading to the closure of both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph's in Chippewa Falls. As a part of the hospital's mission, creating programs with the University of Wisconsin and Chippewa Valley Technical College became paramount to serve their educational goals. After closing in 2024, the hospital, in a way, continued with this mission in 2025 by selling to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, an “independent, tax-exempt organization that helps alumni, friends and donors provide financial support for academic, cultural, and professional programs at UW-Eau Claire” (UWEC).
Although hopes and expectations were high, plans changed, and the UW-Eau Claire Foundation ended up selling the closed hospital to Commonweal Development Corporation in October of 2025, saying a close partnership between the school and the new owners will mean strategic priorities can be met and will allow for the full realization of the “best use of this unique property."
The Future
While plans continue to change, the Chamber of Commerce will continue to monitor this important space, and potential events in the future may surround this hospital. The Chamber understands that to have up-to-date information about local events, such as this hospital, means to be part of something that will have an incredibly meaningful impact on not only our community, but the future of heart research and education.
Written by Brennen Bolopue, Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce
Governmental Affairs Intern
Bolopue@eauclairechamber.org
More information/Sources Used
A look back at Eau Claire's oldest hospital, Sacred Heart - WQOW
Eau Claire’s Lifelines: the story of the city’s hospitals stretches back to its earliest days - VolumeOne
a foundation of hope & healing - HSHS.org
Eau Claire's former Sacred Heart Hospital building sold - Kare11
Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire to Close Earlier than Expected - CivicMedia
UWEC Foundation Sells Former Sacred Heart Hospital to Commonweal Development - VolumeOne
Photos - WisHistory