Lost Butte, Montana, a book by Richard I. Gibson, is in stores and museum gift shops around Butte. Or order from the publisher. It's also in E-book formats at all the usual places. And read an interview with Gibson, here, and on KXLF here. The Facebook page has many historic photos of Butte, and the Butte-Anaconda NHLD project showcases many historic buildings. Location-oriented posts can be found on HistoryPin. On Mondays beginning in January 2016, look for Gibson's "Mining City History" column in the Montana Standard. Many of these blog posts have been converted to podcast episodes, available at KBMF.



Tuesday, December 13, 2011

St. Paul's Hospital

Image from Western Resources Magazine, 1901


The short-lived St. Paul’s hospital stood at the southeast corner of Gold and Montana Streets, 502 S. Montana; the view here looks southeast. It was only listed in the city directories from 1900-1902, even though Western Resources Magazine in 1901 reported that “the sum of $500 has recently been spent in the operating room alone … For a dollar a month … one can have medical treatment, board, nursing and surgical attendance, and furthermore the choice of thirty doctors.” A dollar a month was pretty sparse revenue for any business, even in those days and even if their wards were full, so perhaps those glowing claims were what made the hospital short-lived.

Rev. J.M. Settle was President and General Manager of the place and it depended entirely on his personal credit. He lived about five blocks away, at 103 S. Idaho Street, a small 1-story home that stood on the south side of St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church (Omar Bradley Church, Beverly’s Bridal). Rev. Settle reportedly oversaw building of that church but soon abandoned his post there for the hospital, also known as Johnston House. The church and the hospital were both built in 1899-1900. The hospital, however, was “entirely non-sectarian, Jew or Gentile, Christian or unbeliever, all receiving the same skilled, considerate, conscientious care.” Sisters Hospital, which became St. James, was already in operation and was much larger, so it may have forced St. Paul’s hospital out of business.

Today, the entire east side of Montana between Gold and Platinum Streets is bare ground; a small modern structure stands near the corner where St. Paul’s Hospital once stood, across from the Corner Bar.

4 comments:

  1. In May of 1881, Mr. Kilgallon paid $5.00 for "visit and medicine" to MINER'S HOSPITAL, Corner of Galena and Idaho Streets, Cornwall Bros, Dr. F. Cornwall, M.D., W. T. Cornwall, Manager.

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  2. In 1881, Mr. Kilgallon paid $2.50 to WORKINGMEN'S HOSPITAL. Corner Idaho and Mercury Streets, due East of Catholic Church, and in Rear of Thompson's Lumber Yard. Drs. Holmes & Hendrickson Proprietors. Also, payments were made for "visits to boy and attention on wife" for $10 and $25.

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  3. Looking for information on St. James Hospital, Butte in 1911.

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    1. Your best resource is the Butte Archives - http://www.bsb-mt.us/149/Archives

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