Beloved St. Elizabeth of Hungary statue lowered to safety as former Hannibal hospital demolition proceeds
It is believed that since 1915, a statue has been standing watch over the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital campus in Hannibal.
That statue recently was carefully taken down from its prominent spot in an alcove of the original three-story hospital building, in preparation for its removal to the custody of Holy Family Church.
The move came as a consequence of the demolition work now under way at the old hospital site. Soon after the city announced plans to remove the long-vacant building from its prominent location at the corner of St. Mary’s and Virginia streets, calls came forth to save the statue.
And that’s what happened.
Father Gregory Meystrik, pastor of Holy Family Parish and parochial administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Palmyra, said the statue, labeled “St. Elizabeth of Hungary,” “has a very dear connection to the hospital. People in the parish are ‘rather fond of it.’
“For that reason, ‘we are repurposing it,’” he said.
Parishioners are justifiably sentimental over this statue.
“A lot of them were born in this hospital,” the priest stated.
He envisions installing the statue “inside some place, we ought to protect it,” he said.
While not certain, “We think it is stone,” he said. “It is a pretty detailed statue and it is beautiful.”
The church will also accept three crosses, two of stone and one of copper, the last of which was at the very top of the hospital.
“I’m hoping to put (the copper cross) in the entrance to the church, as a connection for the community, a sign of heritage,” said Fr. Meystrik.
The parish may also be the recipient of “part of a sign, if it comes down in one piece; it indicates who the saint is,” he stated.
He said the parish might put a stone cross on top of the school, another by the parish center.
‘Saint Elizabeth’
Fr. Meystrik took a cursory look at the statue after it was removed from its perch.
“On the statue, it says, ‘St. Elizabeth of Hungary,’” he said. “It was confirmed when they brought it down.”
St. Elizabeth of Hungary “was known for helping the poor and those in need,” the priest noted. “The statue depicts her wearing an apron. She opened it up to show something.
“What is known about St. Elizabeth of Hungary is that she was taking bread to troops in battle, sneaking through the line and bringing them food,” he said.
In the beginning
An eagerly anticipated announcement was published in the Dec. 11, 1913, edition of the Hannibal Morning Journal: A three-story brick Catholic hospital was to be constructed at the corner of Broadway and Virginia streets.
W.J.A. Meyer brokered the deal for the property, located in an area then considered to be at Hannibal’s western edge.
In September 2026, nearly 113 years later, the original building and all its additions were being painstakingly dismantled under the city’s supervision, marking the end of an era as far as Hannibal architecture is concerned.
But while the building itself has been a neighborhood landmark since the new hospital was dedicated in 1915, it ceased to serve the community’s medical needs at the end of March 1993.
That’s when the last baby was born within its walls, and the last time an ambulance — siren blaring — pulled up at the Emergency Room door.
Many developers tried to revitalize this building during the ensuing years, but all attempts were ultimately fruitless.
Finally, it was time to face the inevitability of the situation. Bricks needed to fall.
Mary Lou Montgomery writes for the Hannibal Courier-Post newspaper (hannibal.net), which published a version of this report on Sept. 19. This version is published here with permission.
