Book excerpt: One hundred years ago, on September 4, 1911, the J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital opened its doors to patients and their doctors. Given to the community in memory of Huntingdon's most successful entrepreneur, the hospital has strived since its inception to achieve the reputation it enjoys today as an institution of advanced medical knowledge, skill, and service. Medical practice has undergone revolutionary change during the hospital's first century; the hospital has worked diligently to keep abreast of that change. Yet its mission--to treat all who enter its doors, without regard to their ability to pay--has remained unchanged. Deep emotions are tied to hospital experiences. Generations of area residents have been born at the hospital, and generations have availed themselves of its services to achieve and maintain good health. A century after its founding, J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital continues to play a vital role in the lives of people in the communities surrounding Huntingdon.