This year, The Valley Hospital will celebrate 75 years since its opening day, on August 8, 1951.
Throughout 2026, Valley is excited to share our rich history and milestones over the past seven decades with our community, as we reflect on this incredible time.
1925 – 1949
1920s and 1930s
On December 8, 1925, the Ridgewood Hospital organization (RHA) was incorporated. In 1926, RHA purchased 7.5 acres of land for $28,000 on North Van Dien Avenue and Ridgewood Avenue, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. But as a result of the depression and several years of weak fundraising, the vision for the hospital was largely abandoned.
1920s Fun Facts:
Presidents: Warren G Harding (1921-2923), Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929), and Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
Cost of Milk: Half gallon was between 33 and 35 cents
Cost of Gas: Averaged 21 to 30 cents per gallon
Historical Events: The 1920s were defined as the “Roaring Twenties.” In the 20s, women gained the right to vote (1920), Prohibition began (1920), the first Olympic Winter Games took place in France (1924), Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour work week (1926), sliced bread and bubble gum were invented (1928), and the stock market crashed, beginning the Great Depression (1929).
1930s Fun Facts:
Presidents: Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) (1933-1945)
Cost of Milk: Half gallon was 28 cents
Cost of Gas: Averaged 20 cents per gallon
Historical Events: The 1930s brought the discovery of Pluto (1930), Amelia Earhart becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (1932), the New Deal (1933), the Dust Bowl across the Great Plains (1930-1936), the introduction of Superman by DC comics (1938), and the outbreak of World War II (1939).
1940s
Marking a pivotal turning point in the hospital’s history, J. Robert Stout, a local civic leader, was elected President of the RHA in 1941. Stout would go on to serve Valley for 25 years.
Guided by Stout’s leadership, the RHA sought federal grants and key donations, leading to the purchase of nine additional acres of land. The campus size grew to 16 acres, the size of the current Valley Health System – Ridgewood Campus.
Throughout the 1940s, there was community support from people of all ages. Area children took to many fundraising activities, including hosting a backyard zoo, for which they charged admission. The grand total? $3.38 in pennies!
In 1944, the Women’s Auxiliary of The Valley Hospital was established, seven years prior to the hospital’s opening. Originally formed to assist with sewing, decorating, and recruiting nurses’ aides, the Auxiliary successfully raised $145,000 for a fully equipped and furnished third floor for obstetrics. The campaign, run by Auxilian Mollie Kiendl, was called “Operation Attic.”
In 1945, the RHA became The Valley Hospital. More than 400 volunteers called on 16,000 area homes to gather support for the new hospital. More than 400 donors contributed $70,000.
A groundbreaking celebration was held on September 18, 1949. In the last decade, the population the hospital would serve grew from 6,000 families to 24,000 families.
1940s Fun Facts:
Presidents: Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) (1933-1945)
Cost of Milk: Half gallon was 28 cents
Cost of Gas: Averaged 20 cents per gallon
Historical Events: In the 1940s, the first All-American Girls Professional Baseball League played its first game (1943), an atomic bomb hit Japan (1945), World War II ended (1945), the World Health Organization (WHO) is established by the United Nations (1948), and the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed in the United States (1949).
Be sure to check back each month as we continue to share the history of The Valley Hospital!
For more information about The Valley Hospital today, please click here.
