Stephanie Everett, administrator and foundation director for Mountrail County Health Center (MCHC) called the project the “journey of the decade” in noting the many years the new facility has been in planning or construction and even longer on people’s minds.

“This marks the beginning of a new journey,” said Dr. Mark Longmuir, chief of staff at MCHC. “Today is not just an open house for this beautiful building. Today is actually a new chapter in the lives of our residents as this is now their new home. We come together to celebrate this place and the commitment that our community has made and that the medical center has made, providing the most compassionate and respectful care for our residents in their new home.”

Artys Estvold and her son, Curtys Estvold, are among residents moving from the older building into the new. Although their official move begins next week, they and other residents had the opportunity to get acquainted with their new rooms and cut grand-opening ribbons.

Artys Estvold said they will have rooms across the hall from each other in their new wing.

JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Visitors tour along a hallway among residential rooms in the new portion of Mountrail County Bethel Home at the dedication and open house Wednesday, March 4.

“It’s nice,” she said of her room. She appreciates all the shelving and the large television, she said.

Moving into the Mountrail Bethel Home in 2024 was coming full circle for Estvold, who grew up in Stanley before moving to a farm near New Town after her marriage.

Curtys Estvold was born in Stanley and raised on the farm, graduating from New Town High School in 1991. Having lived in the older section of the Mountrail Bethel Home since 2024, he expects a period of adjustment in settling into his new quarters. Still, he said, he likes the home’s new rooms, which are more accommodating to wheelchairs and walkers.

The new building has 36 skilled care beds and 10 basic care beds, as did the existing facility. Both the north and south wings being replaced will be demolished in April, allowing expansion of the hospital and creation of a parking lot, Everett said.

The hospital expansion is scheduled for construction this summer, and a new wing will be added to Rosen Place, the independent living housing, in 2027. Everett said only about $5 million is left to raise for the overall $53 million construction project. Those funds would go toward the hospital expansion.

“We would not be standing here if we didn’t have the amazing donors that we have and the amazing donations that the county gave,” Everett said during the dedication ceremony. The Mountrail County Commission allocated $25 million to the project.

Current and past Mountrail Bethel Home board chairs spoke about the journey to the completion of the facility at the dedication ceremony.

Bob Grant, a past board chair, recalled the excitement years ago of getting new chair lifts and finding out the facility doors were too narrow to adequately use them. After considering remodeling, the board decided to pursue a new facility to replace the 60-year-old building that was showing its age. Ground was broken on July 17, 2024.

Grant commended the subsequent boards for following through and constructing a beautiful, new facility on the grounds of the medical campus.

“You look like you built for the future,” Grant said. “It’s flexible enough to be able to adapt to new technology.”