History Boulder City Hospital

1 history

1.1 beginning
1.2 war years , citizen patrol
1.3 boulder city hospital auxiliary , beyond

history

the hospital built 6 companies while company building hoover dam. hospital opened on november 15, 1931 20 beds. hospital closed in 1935 when dam finished. not until 1943 when hospital reopened. old hospital building, called life-giving spring retreat center listed on national register of historic places, abandoned when new building hospital opened on december 8, 1973, mile away southwest @ intersection of adams boulevard , buchanan boulevard, on southeast corner.

the beginning

by dennis mcbride:

boulder city’s first hospital built 6 companies, group responsible building hoover dam. u.s. public health service, government agency have been responsible maintaining health in dam town, couldn’t afford build hospital. second government agency, bureau of reclamation, felt since majority of workers on project employed 6 companies, companies’ responsibility build , maintain hospital. government worked out arrangement bureau employees use hospital.

the hospital site top of block 8, hill on northeast side of town reserved resort hotel. view hospital magnificent: eldorado valley , mccullough mountains south, , north colorado river wound lazily through bed. construction began in august 1931 , hospital opened november 15, 1931. cost of original boulder city hospital $20,000.

the hospital built of brick , white stucco, , l-shaped building housed 20 beds , special orthopedic ward. pest house, eight-bed isolation facility contagious diseases, maintained away main hospital building. in 1933, wing added hospital isolation ward , pest house torn down.

six companies employees charged $1.50 per month health fee through payroll deduction entitled them, not families, services @ boulder city hospital. family members of dam workers forced travel las vegas care.

when dam finished in 1935 , 6 companies left boulder, hospital closed. needing medical care went las vegas. in emergency cases, time travel town proved fatal. in 1938, national park service assumed responsibility hospital building , turned museum , office. park service left building in 1941 , building remained vacant 2 years.

war years , citizen patrol

in december 1943, u.s. public health service reopened hospital care war wounded. while bureau of reclamation wanted build new hospital , had money, building materials unavailable. bureau remodeled old hospital , signed memorandum of agreement health service, providers of refurbished equipment hospital. town residents cleaned , repaired second-hand x-ray machines, sterilizers, beds , other items came hospitals around country.

town residents donated money ambulance , organized volunteer ambulance corps. subscription service $15 per year. membership entitled bearer 1 ride hospital.

in 1949 bureau of reclamation took control of hospital continuously lost money. hospital served city enough proved financial drain on government. in 1954, no forewarning, bureau dumped hospital. if boulder city wanted hospital, had raise $15,000 in 2 weeks cover operating expenses , maintenance. townspeople rallied , began door-to-door fundraising campaign called ‘save hospital’ on february 25, 1954. march 18 fund surpassed $15,000 , hospital turned on citizen control on april 15, 1954.

boulder city hospital auxiliary , beyond

the boulder city hospital auxiliary formed local women hospital work , raise money finance operation of hospital. fund raising effort begun in 1963 auxiliary has become boulder institution. boulder city hospital auxiliary art festival, art in park. first festival brought in $3,000 , involved fifty artists, including james swinnerton.

on december 8, 1973, new boulder city hospital located on adams boulevard opened doors. old 6 companies hospital on hill fell disrepair , condemned. sisters of charity bought building in 1976 , began renovation in 1980, turning hospital retreat house known wellspring. building dedicated on april 5, 1981 , year later listed on national register of historic places