Summit Medical Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Non-profit charitable corporation established to provide low-cost health services to low-income individuals and families.

The Summit Medical Center was incorporated by Albert Coudron, Lloyd Williams, Peter Darrow, and Melvin Pierce on August 23, 1968, at the behest of Pierce's son, Edward Pierce, M.D.

Edward Pierce received his M.D. at the University of Michigan in 1959. He joined a private practice in Ann Arbor, and was elected to the Ann Arbor city council, representing the Fourth Ward in 1964. Dr. Pierce left his practice and founded the Summit Medical Center (SMC) after unsuccessfully running for mayor of Ann Arbor in 1967. SMC opened a clinic in a small house at 403 Summit Street on September 1, 1968.

Jerry Walden, another graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, joined Dr. Pierce at the Summit Street clinic on July 1, 1969. In 1971, they moved the clinic to an historic house at 704 Spring Street, where the Model Neighborhood Health Corporation rented the second floor for a dental clinic until 1981.

In 1973, the city of Ann Arbor approached SMC and asked them to expand their operations into another area of the city. With revenue sharing funds from the city of Ann Arbor, and private contributions, SMC established the Packard Community Clinic at 3174 Packard Road in September of 1973. Dr. Walden lead the staff at the new clinic. SMC acquired the Packard clinic building in 1977, and at the urging of Dr. Walden, a new corporation was spun-off by SMC on September 1, 1979, to oversee operations of the Packard Community Clinic. The Packard clinic building was expanded that same year.

Dr. Pierce retired from SMC in 1976 to pursue a career in politics. He returned to Ann Arbor in 1982, and once again went into private practice. Perpetually struggling financially, SMC was forced to close the Spring Street clinic in 1985. The corporation was dissolved, and its assets, including the house at 704 Spring Street, and liabilities were transferred to Child and Family Services of Washtenaw County.