It served the community’s healthcare needs for well over a half-century.

In doing so, the former St. Luke’s Palmerton Hospital left an indelible mark on its patients, their families, and its employees.

As a final testament to its everlasting legacy, a Remembrance Ceremony will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the former St. Luke’s Palmerton Hospital.

The event will take place below the retaining wall at the main entrance of the hospital. Onsite parking will be available in the lot off Columbia Avenue.

Speakers will include past employees of Palmerton Hospital, Nicole Baker, RN, Dr. Edward Miller, and Peter Kern, who will share memories from their experiences there.

John Nespoli, president of St. Luke’s Carbon and Lehighton campuses, said,”It’s a touching story.”

“We’ve got a number of employees who worked at Palmerton Hospital over the years, who got together to create a Facebook page dedicated to sharing their warm memories and experiences,” Nespoli said. “This ceremony is all about this hospital that touched so many lives in the Carbon community.”

Joe Pinto, COO, St. Luke’s Carbon, Lehighton and Sacred Heart, said St. Luke’s plans to build off the hospital’s past success.

“We’re so excited about our new hospital in Franklin Township, as well as all the services that we’ve brought to Palmerton,” Pinto said. “We’re dedicated to continuing the great community legacy that Palmerton Hospital started right here in the beautiful borough of Palmerton.”

Demolition of the former Palmerton Hospital is expected to begin in early November.

The process is estimated to take about five months.

A communication will be sent out to immediate neighbors soon to make them aware.

St. Luke’s closed the Lafayette Avenue campus after it acquired Blue Mountain Health System and began its construction of the new St. Luke’s Carbon Campus in Franklin Township.

Demolition had originally been slated for 2020, but the pandemic and other delays pushed back the timeline.

St. Luke’s officials originally told Palmerton Chamber members they planned to demolish the existing building to make room for a senior housing community or a health care facility of some sort.

In January 2020, former Palmerton Hospital President Peter Kern said the building, which was constructed in 1967, “served its purpose well” and was in favor of the demolition.

St. Luke’s officials at the time said the renovations for the building, if it was upgraded, would have come in around $30 million or more.

In recent years, St. Luke’s has invested more than $200 million in Carbon County health care, replacing the outdated Palmerton facility with the new Carbon County Campus as well as various other new facilities and expanded offerings in Palmerton.

Virtually every major specialty is available at the St. Luke’s Health Center on Delaware Avenue. Services include an integrated model of obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics.