Saint Mary's began its legacy of caring for the community in 1877, when a few Dominican Sisters made an unplanned stop in Reno, on their journey from California to Kentucky. The Sisters stayed in Reno and built Mount Saint Mary's Academy to bring education to the children of farmers and miners in the area. The academy would eventually become Sisters' Hospital, as the rapidly growing community was in dire need of quality, caring healthcare. In 1908 Sisters' Hospital opened its doors, with just two nurses on staff. Even in those early days of the hospital, the workload was overwhelming, and skilled help was hard to find. In response, the Sisters established a nurses training school that opened 1910. This schooling would later transition to the University of Nevada, Reno in 1959, through the Orvis School of Nursing. As the area continued to grow, so did healthcare demands, so in 1912 a new adjoining facility opened, and Sisters' Hospital became Saint Mary's Hospital. From 1912 to present day, new additions and towers have been built, creating Saint Mary's Health Network. The Center is a state-of-the-art, comprehensive medical and surgical facility able to address the community's ever-changing healthcare needs.