The Copley Hospital campus in Aurora is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the first “purposefully-built” city hospital and dates back to 1888.
Rachel Barnhart is with MacRostie Historical Advisors and wrote the nomination. She said the building was important for the types of care it offered.
“The first part of Copley Hospital, now there was an option to give birth under medical supervision. And then also surgical operations could be conducted in the hospital as well," she said.
Barnhart added that Copley Hospital shows a direct evolution of medical care in Aurora.
“So there’s the 1888 block, and that looks more like a residence, but it did have patient care, maternity care, and surgical care. And then subsequently, there’s a block from 1916, 1932, 1947, and then 1970.”
The hospital was ultimately shut down in 1995. Getting on the register allows the private firm Fox Valley Developers access to special tax credits so they can rehabilitate the buildings for uses such as senior living and health care.