On Tuesday, the Georgia Historical Society unveiled a new historical marker about Grady Health System and its more than 130-year history. Dedicated in partnership with the Grady Health Foundation and the Correll Family Foundation, the marker is the newest addition to GHS’s Business History Initiative. GHS will also release free online educator resources aligned to the Georgia standards that help students explore how Grady Health System is a significant part of Georgia’s economy.

“There is no hospital in Atlanta that is more iconic than Grady,” said GHS President and CEO Dr. W. Todd Groce. “From its early years as a segregated facility—the so-called ‘Gradies’—to its vital role today in serving the underserved, Grady Health System has been a historic anchor for medical care and education not only in Atlanta, but the entire state. The Georgia Historical Society is honored to help bring its unique and important story to a wider audience.”

When Grady Health System was founded, urban populations and the threat of public health crises loomed large. In the 19th century, there was a movement in cities across the nation to establish charity hospitals to provide care for those who could not afford it. Grady Hospital became one of those institutions when it opened in 1892 through local efforts to provide medical care for low-income families in Atlanta.

“Grady has always been a vital part of Atlanta. It has long been a foundation of strength and an engine behind our city’s growth,” said Grady Health Foundation President Joselyn Baker. “There are few entities that make a greater difference than Grady does every day—saving and changing the lives of patients, training the next generation of doctors, and supporting our region’s economy.”

As will be detailed in the educator materials, Grady has overcome several financial challenges since its founding, most recently in the 2000s when a major fundraising campaign was led by Pete Correll and other civic leaders. Today, Grady Health System is Georgia’s largest hospital.

The marker dedication took place at Georgia Hall, the original site of Grady Hospital on Jesse Hill, Jr. Drive in Atlanta. Speakers included John Haupert, CEO, Grady Health System; Dr. W. Todd Groce, President and CEO, Georgia Historical Society; Shan Cooper, Board Chair, Grady Health Foundation, Member, Grady Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, and Chairman Emeritus, Georgia Historical Society; and Elizabeth Correll Richards, Member, Grady Health Foundation Board of Directors, President, The Correll Family Foundation, and daughter of Pete Correll.