Overview Until its closing, Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH) was the oldest institution in the United States in continuous service providing hospitalized care. Established in 1729, the Hospital had a long history dedicated to the care of the medically indigent of the city. In 1834, the institution moved from Center City to Blockley Township in West Philadelphia to the area that is now between 34th Street and University Avenue. At that time, it was renamed the Philadelphia Almshouse and Hospital and...