Original site of Santa Rosa Infirmary

Santa Rosa Infirmary was built at the corner of Commerce and Cameron Steets. After the original building burned while under construction, work began anew, with the generous support of the people of San Antonio. Two prominent citizen of San Antonio, Francisco Guilbeau and John Twohig led the effort. As construction neared completion, the sisters themselves took on the work of cleaning and scrubbing the interior of the building. The small infirmary finally opened on December 1, 1869, with the Mass of Foundation celebrated on December 3, in a small makeshift chapel.

From the very beginning, it was determined that the facility would be open to "all person without distinction of nationality or creed. The simple stone structure had two floors with a few small wards and private rooms for patients. Eight patients were admitted on the opening day: four women and four men, one of whom was black.

It was not a promising beginning, despite the urgent need for a hospital to tend to those suffering from cholera. Hospitals were places to be avoided. Wealthy people were tended to by private physicians, and were not usually referred to hospitals. They were customarily cared for in their homes. Only persons who had no other recourse for health care or those in the advanced stages of their illness sought admission to the hospital.