About Us
Krohn Clinic
Dr. Eugene Krohn medicine wagon
Meeting the medical needs of our Jackson County community for more than eighty years
Krohn Clinic, one of the first rural group practices in Wisconsin, has served the residents of Jackson County and the Black River Falls area for more than eighty years. The clinic and hospital – a combined entity at the time – opened on Main Street in 1932. It was staffed by Dr. Eugene Krohn and his two sons, Dr's. Irwin and Robert Krohn.
Dr. Eugene Krohn had first opened his solo practice in downtown Black River Falls some forty years earlier – as far back as 1892. However, his practice facility was heavily damaged during the major flood of 1911. The following year he started the Krohn Clinic Medical Company in a new location. When the company's physicians were required to make home visits to their patients, he found the best means to deliver medicine to patients outside of the office. His Stanley Steamer was the fourth automobile operating in Wisconsin at the time and the only gas driven vehicle located outside the city of Milwaukee.
Dr. Robert Krohn | Dr. Eugene Krohn | Dr. Irwin Krohn
Founding the Krohn Clinic group practice
On January 21, 1932, the new Krohn Clinic and Hospital opened at the site that is now occupied by the Black River County Bank in downtown Black River Falls. Even though Dr. Krohn has maintained a viable medical practice since the 1800's, January 21, 1932, is considered the founding date of Krohn Clinic as a "group practice.” The group practice allowed individual physicians to pool their resources in order to support common operations such as laboratory and X-Ray, along with the various support services required to operate a practice. This, in turn, allowed local physicians to be more efficient and "state of the art" in their trade.
With the existing facility in need of major improvements, the community built a new hospital in 1968 at the present 711 West Adams Street location.
Becoming a community operation
In 1963, the Krohn Clinic organization donated the hospital operation to the community. This allowed Black River Memorial Hospital to become eligible for federal grants to replace its aging facilities. A non-profit corporation governed by a community-based Board of Directors was created to operate the new hospital enterprise. At the time it was transferred to the community, Krohn Hospital was one of the last private general hospitals in Wisconsin.
Current Location at 610 West Adams Street
Growing into the future
With the existing facility in need of major improvements, the community built a new hospital in 1968 at the present 711 West Adams Street location. Shortly thereafter in 1968, the clinic completed a new facility directly across the street from the new hospital. The first two major clinic building additions were added in the late 1980's.
As the community changed and patients' health care needs became more complicated, in 2006, the clinic responded to these needs with space additions aimed at serving patients in the best way possible. Local quality health care still remains a central focus throughout Krohn Clinic.