Saint Francis Medical Center groundbreaking

Published Feb. 19, 1973. The Most Rev. William W. Baum, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, turns the earth with a shiny chrome-plated space to mark the start Saturday of the new Saint Francis Hospital. Standing at right are other participants and their shovels, while a crowd of several hundred views the ceremony. (Southeast Missourian archive)

Published Feb. 17, 1973. Sister M. Virgilia, administrator of Saint Francis, vigorously turns the first spade of earth while at the same time clutching papers used in the dedicatory program. (Southeast Missourian archive)

Chrome-plated shovels stand ready for hospital administrators to turn the first the earth at the ground-breaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center on Feb 17, 1973.

The Most Rev. William W. Baum, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese.

Part of the crowd of more than 200 attending the ground-breaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center on Feb. 17, 1973.

Part of the crowd of more than 200 attending the ground-breaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center on Feb. 17, 1973.

The Most Rev. William W. Baum, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center. Left to right: are State Rep. Richard Rabbit, St. Louis, Speaker of the House; Bishop William W. Baum; State Sen. Al Spradling Jr.; L.R. Roper, president of the hospital's board of trustees, and Sister M. Virgilia Beikler, hospital administrator.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center. Left to right: are State Rep. Richard Rabbit, St. Louis, Speaker of the House; Bishop William W. Baum; Dr. Charles P. McGinty, chief of staff at the hospital; State Sen. Al Spradling Jr.; L.R. Roper, president of the hospital's board of trustees, and Sister M. Virgilia Beikler, hospital administrator.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center. Left to right: are State Rep. Richard Rabbit, St. Louis, Speaker of the House; Bishop William W. Baum; Dr. Charles P. McGinty, chief of staff at the hospital; State Sen. Al Spradling Jr.; L.R. Roper, president of the hospital's board of trustees, and Sister M. Virgilia Beikler, hospital administrator.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Saint Francis Medical Center. L.R. Roper, president of the hospital's board of trustees.