Our Beginnings – The Knapp Hospital

The Knapp Hospital was founded in 1931 by philanthropist George Knapp, a resident of Santa Barbara who frequently visited the Crescent City area. Mr. Knapp was a diabetic and sensitive to the lack of suitable medical facilities in the community. He donated $5,000 to have a modern hospital constructed.

Del Norte County Hospital

The Knapp Hospital was operated as a private hospital until 1945, when Del Norte County took over the operation of the facility, due to the increasing complexity of the hospital business.

When a new California law allowed the formation of special hospital districts, the Del Norte Local Hospital District was formed. The County sold the hospital to the Hospital District for one dollar, and the district assumed operation of the facility. It was renamed Seaside Hospital and Medical Clinic.

From Seaside Hospital to Sutter Coast Hospital

The Hospital District operated Seaside Hospital for 40 years. In 1986, they leased the facility to Sutter Health. A major provision of the lease agreement was that Sutter Health was to prepare a feasibility study on the construction of a new hospital within 18 months and make a decision on proceeding with the development of a new hospital.

Sutter Health conducted the feasibility study in 1987, with the conclusion that a new hospital was viable. Local resident Sonny Hussey donated 11 acres on Washington Boulevard for the project.

In 1992, the new Sutter Coast Hospital opened, followed by the Community Clinic in 2006 and the Infusion Center in 2017.

Expansion of Sutter Coast Hospital

Two major additions have been made to the hospital since it opened in 1992. An expansion of surgery services was completed in 1997 and the surgical unit was completed in 1998.

After consolidation of medical and surgical units to a med/surg unit, in 2016 the former surgical unit was remodeled to accommodate an Acute Rehabilitation Unit. Sutter Coast operates one of four inpatient acute rehabilitation centers in the Sutter Health network.