It’s unlikely that many people took notice when John Burden, an early church elder, walked the dusty and rutted streets of Glendale in 1904. After all, visitors and land speculators had been pouring into the once sleepy hamlet every day since the arrival of the first railroad line from Los Angeles in April of that year. But Burden’s otherwise unremarkable visit would start the clock on the history of Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

The journey that brought Burden to Glendale began three years earlier with Ellen White. During a sleepless night in October 1901, White felt an urgency from God to establish a sanitarium somewhere in the Los Angeles area.

The Dream Becomes Reality

Thanks to White’s dream, Burden’s determination and the help of a host of volunteers, a local building was soon transformed into a beautiful new facility ready for patients. On Aug. 24, 1905, Glendale Sanitarium officially opened for business—six months before the incorporation of the city of Glendale.

Although additions in 1917 and 1920 increased the capacity of the sanitarium, it wasn’t enough to adequately provide for the growing number of people seeking care. With no end in sight to the demand for services, sanitarium leaders decided to reposition the hospital and changed its name to Glendale Sanitarium and Hospital in 1922.

A Hospital for a New Era

A name change, however, was not enough. The building, itself, had to be addressed. It was approaching 40 years old and bursting at the seams. Land was soon purchased and construction began. In the spring of 1924, the new hospital threw open its doors.

The facility continued to thrive, and in 1955 a $1.5 million, five-story surgical wing was added. Aggressive growth was also on the mind of hospital leaders in the mid-1960s. Within the next decade, the hospital would spend millions of dollars on new buildings and equipment to create one of the most technologically advanced medical centers in the region.

With all the growth the hospital had experienced over the decades, the organization could no longer be confined to the term “hospital.” It was truly a center for comprehensive health care in nearly every possible medical specialty. So in 1973, the facility became known as Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

GAMC Today

In its 100th year of service, GAMC is a testament to the dedicated men and women who have made the organization what it is today: a state-of-the-art medical center with 431 licensed beds, more than 2,000 employees, 650 physicians and more than 400 volunteers.

Because GAMC offers services in almost every medical specialty, area residents can get the health care they need close to home. The extensive list of services includes behavioral medicine, cancer services, cardiac services, diabetes care, emergency services, surgery, orthopedic and rehabilitative medicine, maternity and other women’s services, home care, wound care, sleep disorders services and many more.

GAMC is committed to keeping pace with rapidly changing medical technologies that more accurately and effectively detect disease and offer treatment options that are safer, more convenient and less painful. To maximize the benefits of these advanced technologies, the medical center is also committed to recruiting the area’s most skilled and innovative physicians and surgeons.

Building for the Future

Nothing keeps a 100-year-old going strong better than new growth. As GAMC celebrates its centennial, a campus expansion project promises its community improved access to state-of-the-art medical care for years to come.

In November 2003, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the hospital’s new building project. When it is completed in 2007, the reconstructed northwest section of the campus will encompass a seven-story, 260,000 square-foot patient care tower, a 65,000 square-foot medical office building and ambulatory surgery center as well as a new parking structure.

The campus expansion project is a reflection of the hospital’s history of continually adapting and improving to best meet the needs of its community. With the aging of the Baby Boomer generation and the continued population growth in the east San Fernando Valley, the number of patients at the hospital is steadily rising year by year.

“GAMC’s new facilities will help the hospital meet that increased demand for hospital beds, while offering its patients and their families the most advanced facilities for diagnosis and treatment in the area,” stated Scott Reiner, president and CEO of the hospital. "Throughout the past century, our hospital has been focused on delivering quality, Christ-centered health care services, and we plan to continue this tradition for decades to come.”

GAMC's Centennial Celebration Weekend

You are cordially invited to attend GAMC’s centennial celebration weekend. On Sept. 24, 2005, special Sabbath services will be held. On Sunday, Sept. 25, the hospital’s centennial celebration will culminate with a festive event that will include clowns, interactive activities and other special attractions.

Vallejo Drive church

300 Vallejo Drive

Glendale, CA 91206

9:30 a.m.—Sabbath School

11 a.m.—Church Service

Glendale Adventist Medical Center

1509 Wilson Terrace

Glendale, CA 91206

12 p.m.-5 p.m.

We’re you born at GAMC? If you’re a “GAMC Baby,” call 818-242-9108.

For more information about GAMC’s centennial celebration, phone 818-242-9108.