UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital, once the home of Dr. John W. Finley and his wife, Helen, has grown into one of the main healthcare facilities in Dubuque.

Dr. Finley was Dubuque’s first general physician, and he would travel by horseback to attend to patients in surrounding areas. He always wanted to establish a medical school and a hospital but his efforts to do so were unsuccessful and he eventually passed away before he could see his dreams come to fruition. In Helen’s will and testament, she specified that her estate be used to establish a hospital in Dubuque named after her husband.

The articles of incorporation for The Finley Hospital Company were adopted February 21, 1890, and the Finley residence transformed into a 27-room hospital with 40 beds. Today, UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital houses 126 beds and serves over 4,800 patients annually.