The hospital was founded on October 24, 1896, by the Appoline A. Blair. The facility was expanded in 1968 to include two connecting buildings of seven and nine floors.
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One week after the tornado, St. John's (now known as Mercy) announced they would rebuild. However, the existing hospital was structurally unsafe and was eventually demolished. Mercy is in the process of building a hospital in Joplin at Interstate 44 and Hearnes Boulevard; it is scheduled to open in 2015, replacing the facility destroyed by the tornado. There will also be an auxiliary facility on the northeast side.