Who Haxtun Health is Today:

Currently, Haxtun Hospital District operates under the DBA of Haxtun Health. As community healthcare has drastically evolved over the years, Haxtun Health strives to remain connected and relevant to community needs. Haxtun Health provides care in our 25-bed Critical Access Hospital and Primary Care Clinics, which includes long-term care, rehabilitation, and specialty care.

Where We Started:
The Haxtun Community Hospital opened March 1938 on the second floor of the Drake Mercantile building built in 1913. It was operated by two registered nurses, one from Knoxville, Tenn., and the other from Ord, Neb.

The building, located on the corner of Colorado Ave. and Fletcher St., remains a landmark for the town of Haxtun still today.

Formation and Local Support of the District:
On April 22, 1960, petitions containing a total of 575 signatures were filed with the Phillips County Clerk and Recorder, supporting the formation of the Haxtun Hospital District. The Clerk certified that within the boundaries of the proposed district, there were 858 registered voters. This proved the petition was signed by no less than 50 percent of registered voters, therefore meeting the established requirement.

On July 25, 1960, the formation of the proposed Haxtun Hospital District was presented to Phillips County District Court. After confirmation that all requirements had been met by petitioners, the Haxtun Hospital District was organized as a corporate body pursuant to Colorado Session Laws of 1959, Chapter 179.

Haxtun Hospital District operated in the Drake Mercantile building until voters overwhelmingly passed a $400,000 bond question to construct a new hospital. The District came back to the voters in 1986, 1990, 1992, 2004, and 2008, seeking help to expand the facility or asking for support to keep it open. The voters said “yes” each time. In 1965, the Hospital moved into its new building at 235 West Fletcher St., where it is currently located.

In 1990, a two-story addition was built on the west side of the Hospital, designed to connect the two buildings physically. This allowed for additional nursing home rooms on the main floor, independent senior living on the second floor, laundry, purchasing, facilities, and a classroom in the basement.

In 2012, government regulations forced the closure of the second-floor independent living, and the space was converted into business offices and housing for visiting providers and nursing staff.

Outpatient Rehabilitation:
HHD purchased a building at 255 West Fletcher Street, which originally housed kindergarten classes for Haxtun Schools in 1964, and it was also the original home for the Haxtun Family Medicine Center. The building was later transformed to house the Rehabilitation Department and Physical Therapy gym until it was relocated to the Main Street Clinic at the beginning of 2025.

Haxtun Health Clinic:
In 1972, what was formerly known as the Haxtun Family Medicine Center moved to 233 West Strohm Street. In 2020, it took on the new name Haxtun Health Clinic to reflect the hospital’s rebrand as “Haxtun Health.”

In the same year, Haxtun Health envisioned a new clinic to address immediate health needs to prepare the community for a healthier future. This vision led to the creation of the Main Street Clinic at 125 South Colorado Avenue, which officially opened its doors on January 27th, 2025.

The new clinic aims to reduce hospital foot traffic by approximately 10,000 visitors annually and serve as a hub for health and wellness. Community input was sought in 2020, and residents expressed a desire for a space dedicated to health, wellness, and rehabilitation that also honored Main Street’s history. The iconic “Smith Hardware” building was central to this vision. Although structural challenges prevented its repurposing, elements such as tin ceiling tiles, original wood flooring, and the Smith Hardware sign were preserved, thanks to the Smith family’s generosity.

The new facility features a retail pharmacy, a grab-and-go healthy meals station, outpatient rehabilitation services—including physical, occupational, and speech therapy—and a primary care clinic. With seven exam rooms, counseling space, and a dedicated medical team, the clinic is poised to elevate care in the community.

Haxtun Health Fleming Clinic:
The Haxtun Health Fleming Clinic, formerly the Fleming Family Health Center, was purchased in 2014 in order to expand local care to the community of Fleming. In 2019, HHD received a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation and the Department of Local Affairs to renovate the building to a modernized healthcare facility with the intent to offer both primary and specialty care for all ages. Construction began in 2020, and the new clinic’s grand opening took place in July of 2021.

Special District Information:

Pursuant to 24-72-205 C.R.S
The district’s research and retrieval fee is $30.00 per hour

District Policy
A person granted the right to inspect District records may also be furnished copies requested at a cost of twenty-five cents ($.25) per standard page. The charge for providing a copy, printout or photograph of a public record in a format other than a standard page will be assessed at the actual cost of production. Additionally, in those cases where the location or existence of specific documents must be researched and the documents must be retrieved, sorted or reviewed for applicability to the request, and such process requires more than one hour of staff time, the Custodian may charge a research and retrieval fee not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00) per hour. The Custodian will not impose a charge for the first hour of time expended in connection with the research and retrieval of public records. The District may require a deposit to cover the estimated cost to produce the records, including the cost of the copies and the research and retrieval fee, prior to commencing work to produce such records. Payment of any actual costs exceeding the deposit must be made at the time of release of the final work product or copies. (Pursuant to Resolution adopted September 26, 2014.)

District contact information for open records request:
Julia Biesemeier, 970-774-6123.

For more information, visit SDACO.