Advocate Lutheran General Hospital can trace its beginnings to the 19th century. Founded in 1897 by Norwegians who had settled on the Northwest Side of Chicago, Lutheran General Health System (LGHS) originally was known as the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital. It carried on a broad community program of social work and care for court-adjudicated youths, as well as operating a hospital and a training school for nurses and deaconesses. In 1904, the organization came under the control of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, which later evolved into the Evangelical Lutheran Church, The American Lutheran Church, and now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The greatest period of growth for LGHS began in 1959 when Lutheran General Hospital was opened in Park Ridge, Illinois. At the same time, the Lutheran Institute of Human Ecology was formed to establish ministries in alcoholism and substance abuse, senior services, parish nursing, bio-ethics and medical education. LGHS grew into a vertically integrated service organization committed to providing a continuum of health care for its communities.​​​​​​

Additional digitized documents and images are available.

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital of Chicago, 1958 June

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital of Chicago, 1958 June

Construction with Cars in Foreground, 1958

Construction with Cars in Foreground, 1958

Hospital Being Constructed, 1958

Hospital Being Constructed, 1958

Lighted Cross Erected by Workmen, 1958

Lighted Cross Erected by Workmen, 1958

Topping out Hospital, 1958

Topping out Hospital, 1958

Placing the Cross on top of the Hospital, 1959

Placing the Cross on top of the Hospital, 1959

Cornerstone Ceremony Speech Script, 1959 October

Cornerstone Ceremony Speech Script, 1959 October

Topping Out Photograph, 1959

Topping Out Photograph, 1959

Installation of Service League Board, 1959

Installation of Service League Board, 1959

Installation of Emergency Generator, 1959

Installation of Emergency Generator, 1959

Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, 1959 Commencement Exercises

Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, 1959 Commencement Exercises

The Service League of Lutheran General Hospital, A Brief History, 1959 October

The Service League of Lutheran General Hospital, A Brief History, 1959 October