Rochester’s nickname is “Med City” and is the home of the Mayo Clinic. Rochester’s motto is America’s City of Care and Innovation.
The Great Tornado demolished much of Rochester on August 21, 1883, leaving 37 dead and approximately 200 injured. As there was no medical facility in the immediate area at the time, Dr. William W. Mayo (earned two medical degrees) and his two sons (Dr. William James Mayo (1861–1939) and Dr. Charles Horace Mayo (1865–1939) worked together to care for the wounded.
The community came forward with donations of $60,000 ($1,567,054 in 2016 accounting for inflation) and the Sisters of St. Francis, assisted by Dr. Mayo, opened a new facility named St. Marys Hospital in 1889 with three Mayo doctors on staff. St. Marys Hospital evolved into the Mayo Clinic Hospital (Mayo Clinic).
In January 2014, Saint Marys and Rochester Methodist were consolidated under the name Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester. The Mayo Clinic is ranked #1 in more specialties than any other hospital in the United States.