Orange Memorial Hospital

The Orange Memorial Hospital Historic District, listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2015, includes nine buildings. The oldest and main structure of the site was built in 1906. The hospital closed in 2005 and has been vacant since. This hospital was founded by the leading Victorian-era families of Orange and became the site of the nation’s first four-year nursing school. The Orange Memorial Hospital retains its integrity as the buildings in the district stand in their original locations with only minor demolition occurring on the site since the time of the primary building campaigns in the late 1910s and 1920s. The Orange Memorial Hospital Historic District is significant as a prominent, community-based provider of healthcare and the primary hospital for Orange, New Jersey, and the surrounding communities for much of the 20th century. It also reflects institutional architecture in the Colonial Revival style designed by the notable New York architects Crow, Lewis & Wick. There are currently two ongoing threats – demolition and vandalism. The City announced earlier this year that the site could be demolished with no input from the community on possible reuses and future of the site. Further the site is a frequent victim to vagrancy and crime. Preservation New Jersey supports those advocating for the restoration of the site and adaptively reuse, or as needed, sensitive redevelopment of the district that would allow its continued preservation.