BPHC History

Welcome to public health. We are the nation's first health department and trace our roots back to 1799, when Paul Revere was named Boston's first health officer.

Back then, the board of health was formed to fight a potential outbreak of cholera. Taking innovative strides to save lives, health officials posted signs on lampposts, held meetings and led an early-day public information campaign to reduce deaths due to cholera, a highly preventable disease.

Two hundred years later, that tradition of prevention continues through the Boston Public Health Commission. While we are the country's oldest health department, we pride ourselves on having some of the most innovative services for our residents. Described as "the most activist arm of city government," by the Boston Globe, the Commission has a vigorous commitment to the health of Boston.

	1799	The Boston Board of Health was established with Paul Revere as its president.
	1864	Boston City Hospital opened.
	1869	Massachusetts established the State Board of Health, America's first comprehensive and modern state health department.
	1877	The Boston City Hospital Ambulance Service was established, continuing today as Boston EMS.
	1898	The Rutland Sanatorium, the first state sanatorium for tuberculosis in the United States, opened.
	1902	The Boston City Hospital Relief Station was established at Haymarket.
	1906	Boston established the Consumptive Hospital also as day care center for tuberculosis children and contacts.
	1918	Fifty-two of 101 nurses at Base Hospital No. 7 were from Boston City Hospital and went to France to serve in World War I.
	1967	Four community health centers opened across Boston: Savin Street, East Boston, Harvard Street, and Whittier Street.
	1996	The Boston Public Health Commission was formed, resulting from the merger of Boston City Hospital and Boston University Hospital.
	2003	The Commission's "Clean Air Works Workplace Smoking Restrictions" regulation banned smoking in Boston workplaces, bars, and restaurants.
	2006	Boston became the first city in the nation to address racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare and the work is being replicated in cities across the nation.
	2007	The Commission entered multimedia communication with the launch of social media networks such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.
	2008	BPHC founded the Center for Health Equity and Social Justice as part of the city’s ongoing commitment to improving the health of communities of color.
	2008	The Commission’s Board of Health banned artificial trans fat and partially hydrogenated oil in all Boston food-service establishments.
	2009	The Commission launched a unique public awareness campaign that mixed street outreach, the Internet, and traditional media in an effort to halt the rapidly rising spread of sexually transmitted infections among young people in Boston.
	2010	The Commission, in partnership with Northeastern University, hosted a first-of-its-kind "Break-up Summit" to bring together young people and youth-serving organizations to discuss, plan, and identify strategies to help teens engage in healthy relationship break-ups.
	2011	Mayor Menino banned the sale, advertising, and promotion of sugary beverages on city-owned property, while the Commission launched a hard-hitting public awareness campaign to get residents to reduce their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.