For over 75 years Selby General Hospital has been providing osteopathic health care in the Mid-Ohio Valley. The history reflects a strong, caring institution that has served residents of two states, trained physicians from all over the country, trained other healthcare professionals from various colleges and universities located throughout the country, and strived to maintain it’s osteopathic heritage.

     In 1927 four local osteopathic physicians, H.L. Benedict, D.O., L.M. Bell, D.O., J.E. Wiemers, D.O. and J.D. Sheets, D.O., along with a nurse and a secretary, opened the Marietta Osteopathic Clinic at 304 Putnam St., Marietta. The physician partnership remained until 1937 when J.D. Sheets, D.O. sold his interest to the remaining partners.

     The clinic’s rapid growth made it necessary to expand the original facility where surgery could be performed as well as continue the treatment of non-surgical patients. The formation of the Marietta Osteopathic Hospital was formed on Dec. 30, 1934. Within 30 days stock was sold to 200 people and construction of the new building, positioned directly at the rear of the clinic building, was begun. The formal opening of the hospital was held July 21, 1935.

     Before 1937 the facility had an emergency room with an ambulance bay. By May 12, 1939, the major building expansion was completed. The new hospital boasted that it was “a fire-proof structure, air conditioned, steam-heated, sound absorbing ceiling and modern equipment with all beds equipped with inner-spring mattresses”. The hospital had one, two, three and four bed rooms, but the majority were single bed rooms.

     During this period, the hospital was one of the founding members of a new national association: the American Osteopathic Hospital Association. Over the years this organization grew to represent the increasing number of osteopathic hospitals and clinics. The new hospital became accredited through the American Osteopathic Association which is the oversight organization for physician teaching programs.

     After receiving many large donations from the Selby family, in 1958 the hospital administration chose to rename the hospital Selby General Hospital. The hospital was again needing further expansion to keep up with the increasing volume of patient care they were giving. Land was purchased at 1106 Colegate Dr., Marietta.

     Once again the Selby family gave a donation which was the base money of a fund raising drive, and a new hospital facility was built and licensed as an 80-bed, full-service hospital. It was dedicated in May, 1965. Another major expansion to this facility was completed in 1985. The first medical helipad with lights for night landings was established on this hospital property.

     Selby has continued its long, proud history of training physicians which began around 1929. Today the hospital is affiliated with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, WV and the Mountain State Osteopathic Post Doctoral Training Institute (OPTI). Currently Selby has a physician internship program and a Family Practice Residency.

     Surgeons at Selby performed the Mid-Ohio Valley’s first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder), appendix, hernia, hiatal hernia, endoscopic carpal tunnel and cornea transplant. The hospital was at the forefront with the current concept of Outpatient Services. Selby, along with Doctor's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, brought Ohio into the new technology age during the early 1990s with interactive video which was used for mutual medical lectures, conferencing and medical consultations.

     The American Osteopathic Hospital Association named Tom Tucker, Selby’s current chairman of the board, as ‘Healthcare Trustee of the Year.