M Health Fairview Clinic - Rice Street celebrates 100 years of serving diverse Saint Paul community

M Health Fairview Clinic - Rice Street has been a cornerstone of the North End community in Saint Paul for 100 years. What began in 1925 as a small physician practice has grown into a trusted, inclusive primary care clinic serving generations of families.

"It’s been an important part of a diverse neighborhood,” said Julie Antolak, former president of the Bethesda Auxiliary, a non-profit that preserved the history of Bethesda Hospital in Saint Paul that served patients of the Rice Street Clinic.

Today, the clinic’s commitment to health equity reflects the broader mission of Fairview Health Services: to break down barriers to equitable care and meet patients where they are. It’s clinics like Rice Street and the providers there that contributed to Fairview receiving the 2025 Foster G. McGaw Prize from the American Hospital Association. The national award honors health systems making a profound impact on community health through strategic partnerships and compassionate care that have demonstrated a strategic approach to community health. It has been nearly 30 years since a Minnesota health system has received the award.

The Rice Street Clinic story began in 1925, when Dr. Lewis Bouma opened his office at 879 Rice Street. Now 12 healthcare providers care for more than 16,000 community members at the clinic’s current home at 980 Rice Street.