Sparrow has grown to become the region's largest health system, and its diverse range of facilities offer residents some of the most advanced medical technology available in the world.

Sparrow's founding dates back to 1896, when the Women's Hospital Association set out to bring critical medical services to Lansing. One doctor and one nurse worked out of a rented house, while the women of the association did everything they could to support operations - including loaning their own household linens when supplies ran low.

In 1910, at a time when the expanding auto industry brought an influx of new families into the area, Edward W. Sparrow - one of Lansing's pioneer developers - donated land on East Michigan Avenue along with a gift of $100,000 to help build a new hospital. The hospital took in its first patients in 1912.