Liberty County Historical Commission members, along with representatives of the Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center, Liberty County Hospital District #1 and county officials, gathered on Monday, June 28, to unveil a historical marker honoring the late Yettie Kersting.
Kersting, a Liberty businesswoman who died in November 1941, donated her estate for a hospital in Liberty that would all people, regardless of their race and ability to pay for services.
“It was Miss Yettie’s lifelong desire to leave her estate to benefit her fellow man and she was resolved to do so by accomplishing her dream to establish a hospital, one that would not refuse patients based on skin color or financial circumstances. Her vision came to fruition in 1935, when at the age of 72 she decided to leave the bulk of her estate to the people of Liberty County, with the stipulation that it be used for establishing a hospital,” according to a history written by Liberty County Historical Commission Chair Linda Jamison.
Before her death, she transferred the deed to her properties, along with other investments, to the County under the care of a board of trustees.
“In 1940, construction of one unit of the hospital was started at a cost of $18,000. At the time of its completion the following year, Miss Yettie, a woman of her word, promptly deeded it to the county. This first hospital-clinic, which was located where the First Liberty National Bank now stands on Sam Houston Street, was dedicated on Oct. 18, 1941, and ironically received as its first patient, Miss Yettie Kersting. Five weeks later, she died in the hospital she had founded and gave to ‘the relief of suffering humanity,'” according to Jamison.
The community eventually outgrew the original hospital, which led to the construction of a newer, expanded facility at the corner of Travis and Magnolia streets, built at a cost of $400,000 and dedicated on Aug. 12, 1951. Originally called the Yettie Kersting Memorial Hospital, the new facility is now known as Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center.
Seventy years later, the community is quickly outgrowing the hospital, leading the Hospital District #1 to now be considering construction of a new hospital at the corner of SH 146 and FM 1011 on a large, donated plot of land. If the hospital is moved to the new location, the historical marker will also be relocated.
Speakers at the event included Jamison, Liberty County Judge Jay Knight, Liberty Mayor Carl Pickett and Paul Henry, vice president of the hospital district board.
The Commission continues its work on more historical markers to recognize landmarks in Liberty County; however, Jamison said the dates for those marker unveilings will be in the fall.
Liberty County Judge Jay Knight 
Liberty Mayor Carl Pickett addresses the people who attended the unveiling of a historical marker outside of Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center on Monday, June 28. 
Staff of Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center were proud to participate in the unveiling of a historical marker outside of the hospital that honors the life of the late Yettie Kersting. 
Linda Jamison, chair of the Liberty County Historical Commission, shares the history of the late Yettie Kersting, who donated her estate in 1941 for the creation of a hospital in Liberty. 
Cyndi Griffin, Gloria Stratton and Rhonda Campbell braved the balmy weather on Monday to take part in the unveiling of a historical marker outside of Liberty-Dayton Regional Medical Center.
To read more on Yettie Kersting’s life, go online to:
That hospital is in bad shape needs torn down
I am glad it is there, Kevin. If you are in an emergency, you better hope it is there.