A Proud Legacy of Service: Trinity Health Shelby

Lakeshore Community Hospital had a distinguished history of service to the Shelby community as a privately-owned hospital and a hospital run by the local government before two historic mergers led to it joining Trinity Health. Throughout its 100-year history, the Shelby community has supported this hospital through private donations and various volunteer groups that spearheaded fundraisers. Here is how it all began:

Founded By Women

With “a splendid spirit of community effort and civic pride.”

The original Shelby Hospital was in a home formerly belonging to the Cushman family. In 1922, Agnes Morningstar Critchett purchased the property and operated the hospital with her sister, Edna Harper. It was called "The Maternity Hospital" and was used to deliver babies.

In 1924, ownership changed to two Mennonite ladies, Fannie Near and Lottie Near, who were both RNs. A hospital site was purchased, and Shelby Community Hospital was completed in 1925, with 15 beds for patients. It was then sold to three doctors, but after several years – following the death of one doctor and the retirement of another – the hospital closed in 1938.

Through local Chamber of Commerce and Village Council efforts, the Village of Shelby acquired the property and re-opened the hospital the same year. The institution operated for many years under the management of the village government.

The first significant addition to the hospital came in 1965, followed by another in 1973, which increased the number of beds for patient care.

In 1970, hospital ownership was passed from the village to the community, allowing for greater funding opportunities. At that time, the hospital was renamed Lakeshore Community Hospital.

In 1997, the original brick building was torn down to expand the hospital.

The Connection to Mercy Health Muskegon

In 1831, Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, to follow Christ in his compassion for suffering people. She and her Sisters of Mercy established foundations to serve the poor, the sick, and the uneducated throughout Ireland and England.

In 1843, the Sisters of Mercy took their mission to the United States, opening hospitals, schools, orphanages, and homes for at-risk women and girls.

On April 16, 1903, under the leadership of Sister Mary Joseph Miller and three Sisters of Mercy from the Big Rapids area – Sister Mary Catherine O'Connor, Sister Mary Patrick Connor and Sister Mary Phillip Fitzgerald – founded Mercy Hospital in Muskegon.

Over time, Mercy Hospital expanded, moved, and became a member of Trinity Health. During those years, two more hospitals were founded to serve the Muskegon community, Hackley and Muskegon General.

Historic Mergers

In 1996, Lakeshore Community Hospital in Shelby affiliated itself with Hackley Health Systems in Muskegon and began doing business as Hackley-Lakeshore Hospital.

The second important merger occurred in 2008 when Hackley Hospital in Muskegon merged with Mercy General Partners (formerly Mercy Hospital) in Muskegon, a member of Trinity Health. In time, Lakeshore Community Hospital became known as Mercy Health Lakeshore and became a member of Trinity Health.

COVID-19 Pandemic

In January 2020, the world experienced a global pandemic: COVID-19. Not since the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918 has the medical world been challenged to that degree. Mercy Health Lakeshore Hospital quickly adapted to changing circumstances, flexed to meet the needs of patients as COVID-19 mutated and saved many lives.

Brand Change 

In April 2022, Mercy Health across West Michigan announced that its name was changing to Trinity Health. Mercy Health has been a member of Trinity Health, a nationwide Catholic health system, for 21 years. With locations in 25 states, the new brand brings together the national recognition of Trinity Health with more than a century of local community-based patient care, teaching, research, and services.

In 2022, it was announced that all Mercy Health facilities are gradually transitioning to the Trinity Health brand. The new hospital names in West Michigan would be Trinity Heath Shelby, Trinity Health Muskegon, and Trinity Health Grand Rapids. In 2023, North Ottaway Community Hospital in Grand Haven joined Trinity Health as Trinity Health Grand Haven. Physician offices would be named Trinity Health Medical Group (formerly Mercy Health Physician Partners). 

Today, Trinity Health Shelby is located on State Street in Shelby. Additional Trinity Health services are located from Ludington to Holland and throughout the greater Muskegon area. Those services include multiple providers’ offices, labs, pharmacies, outpatient health centers, and Urgent Care facilities.

A Commitment to Compassion, Transformation, and Healing Continues 

For the Shelby community and surrounding counties, this historic brand change means more access to doctors, research, clinical trials, leading technology, and care options for every stage of life. What remains is our dedication to serving our communities through our mission:

We, Trinity Health, serve together in the spirit of the Gospel
to be a compassionate and transforming, healing presence in our communities.