The Peru Gazette

Left to Right: Steve Leffler, Bob Ortmyer, Sen. Dan Stec, Assemblyman Matt Simpson

Joint legislative resolution recognizes a century of care in Essex County 

Elizabethtown, NY, November 6, 2026 –  – One hundred years ago, a small community hospital opened its doors in Elizabethtown with a simple mission: care for neighbors close to home. This week, that legacy was formally recognized by the New York State Legislature.

Leaders, employees, board members and community partners gathered at University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital as New York State Senator Dan Stec, R-45^th District, and New York State Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-114^th District, presented a Joint Legislative Resolution commemorating the hospital’s first 100 years of service to the people of Essex County and the Adirondack region.

The resolution recognizes Elizabethtown Community Hospital’s century-long commitment to providing care, responding to community needs and improving the health and well-being of residents.

Founded in 1926 as the Community House Hospital, ECH has evolved from a small community hospital into a health care organization that includes hospitals in Elizabethtown and Ticonderoga, six community-based primary care centers and a wide range of services designed to meet the changing needs of the communities it serves.

“Health care becomes a bigger and bigger issue for all of us throughout our lives. Yet in a rural region like ours, access to care can be very different than it is in larger urban areas. That’s why hospitals like Elizabethtown Community Hospital are so important to our communities,” Senator Stec says.

“As someone who lives in a small community and raised a family there, I know how important rural health care is. Strong local hospitals are an essential part of sustainable communities and our future here in the North Country,” Assemblyman Simpson says.

For Bob Ortmyer, hospital president, the recognition represents far more than a milestone for the organization itself.

“This recognition belongs to many generations of people,” Ortmyer adds. “It belongs to the employees, health care practice professionals, volunteers, trustees, donors and community members who believed in the hospital and helped it grow and evolve over the past century. We are grateful for their contributions and proud to carry that legacy forward, serving our communities as we begin our second century of care.”

While health care has changed dramatically since Elizabethtown Community Hospital first opened its doors in 1926, the hospital’s commitment to caring for residents remains unchanged. Today, the organization continues to expand access to primary care, specialty care, rehabilitation services and emergency care throughout Essex County and the Adirondack region while working as part of The University of Vermont Health Network.

The Joint Legislative Resolution presentation is one of several activities being held throughout the hospital’s centennial year to celebrate its history and recognize the people who helped shape its first century of service.