Granger Medical since 1954
A Legacy of Service: The History of Granger Medical Clinic –
Serving the area for over 70 years
The story of Granger Medical Clinic is more than just a timeline of buildings—it’s a history of dedication, vision, and community care that began with a dream in 1955. At a time when there were no hospitals and few doctors west of the Jordan River, two pioneering physicians—Dr. Glenn C. Wilson and Dr. LaVere D. Poulsen—saw the urgent need for accessible health care in the western Salt Lake Valley.
They began their practice together on Market Street in what was then an underserved region. From humble beginnings, their small clinic would eventually grow into one of the largest and most respected medical providers in the area.
First Move: 3280 West 3500 South
In 1960, Drs. Wilson and Poulsen purchased 4.5 acres of cow pasture at 3280 West 3500 South, where they constructed the first official home of Granger Medical Clinic for the then-substantial cost of $300,000. That same year, two additional physicians joined them: Dr. J. Robert Poulsen (LaVere’s brother) and Dr. Maurice Baker. Together, the foursome formally incorporated Granger Medical Clinic on January 1, 1960.
From its earliest days, the clinic was bustling. Dr. Poulsen recalled seeing 85 patients in a single day during a flu epidemic, remarking, “Needless to say, we didn’t make any house calls or take time out to deliver any babies.”
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the clinic led several milestones:
The arrival of Dr. Wallace Chambers, the area’s first surgeon (1961), performing minor surgeries in-office and major procedures at St. Mark’s Hospital—15 miles away.
The addition of the clinic’s first internist, Dr. David Christensen, in 1965.
A growing team of specialists including orthopedic surgeon Dr. A.F. Martin (1970), and OB/GYNs Dr. Lee Bourne and Dr. David Isaac (1972).
As the region grew, so did the clinic. By the end of the 1980s, Granger employed 20 doctors and a staff of 80, seeing generations of families and introducing a new standard of care west of Salt Lake City.
Second Location: West Jordan Expansion
In 1991, Dr. Peter Christensen opened a second Granger Clinic location in West Jordan, extending the clinic’s reach to even more patients. This site grew to include four physicians and a staff of more than twenty, complementing the expanding original clinic.
Third Move: A Modern Facility off Bangerter Highway
The original 3500 South location had served the clinic for 38 years, but rising demand and rapid growth required a more modern, spacious home. Under the leadership of Dr. Christensen and the clinic’s board, Granger Medical Clinic broke ground on a 15,000-square-foot medical complex located on 9.2 acres at the southeast corner of 4100 South and Bangerter Highway.
The new building was a dramatic contrast to its $300,000 predecessor. With an estimated cost of $12 million, the new clinic opened on December 19 (year unspecified), with a grand opening and a public health fair introducing the community to a new era of care.
This modern facility boasted:
A full-service medical laboratory
Instant lab results
X-ray and ultrasound services
Osteoporosis testing
An urgent care center
A soon-to-open full-service pharmacy
A team of more than 40 full- and part-time physicians and a support staff nearing 200
Not only did the clinic continue to treat everyday concerns like cuts and bruises, it also integrated sophisticated diagnostic and specialty care, making it one of the most advanced clinics in the region.
As Dr. Poulsen reflected before his retirement in 1995:
“Imagine the 1950s and 1960s when an office visit cost $3, a house call was made for $5 (if the family could afford to pay), and a shot of penicillin was free.”
That humble beginning is what makes Granger Medical Clinic’s journey so remarkable. From two physicians in a modest office on Market Street to a sprawling state-of-the-art facility off Bangerter Highway, Granger’s legacy continues to be written—one patient, one generation, one community at a time.
