St.
John's Hospital
1884-1973 • Two
Structures
|
In 1869,
six Sisters of Charity from Leavenworth, Kansas arrived in Helena,
and set about their mission to educate youth, nurse the sick,
and care for orphans. |
The 1884
St. John's Hospital • Demolished 1950
46°35'6.47"N
112° 2'16.54"W
| The first
St. John's Hospital was a wooden frame structure built in 1870.
The brick building shown in the tinted period postcard above was
built in 1884 and enlarged in 1901-02. It was weakened by earthquakes
in 1935, fell into disuse, and was finally demolished in the spring
of 1950. This edifice stood atop "Catholic Hill", across
South Ewing St. from where the "new" St. John's was
built in 1939... |
| Footprint
of the 1884 St. John's Hospital superimposed on a recent satellite
image. The hospital was expanded in 1901-02. |
COURTESY
OF THE DAVID POOR COLLECTION • CLICK
ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
St.
John's Nurses, ca. 1911
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
• CLICK
ON IMAGE FOR A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
St.
John's Hospital, 1920s
COURTESY
OF SEAN LOGAN • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG
VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
"Catholic Hill" Aerial View, ca. 1933
COURTESY
OF JEFF MORRISON • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG
VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
Badly
Damaged by 1935 Earthquakes
Photo Taken Nov. 11 1935
COURTESY
OF THE SEAN LOGAN COLLECTION •
CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW
| "St.
John's was forced to evacuate its patients, some of them going
home, others to St. Peter's [which was relatively undamaged by
the quakes] and some to Butte and Deer Lodge, Montana. Authorities
of the institution immediately began to make plans for the removal
of the hospital plant to the nearly-completed hospital of the
Montana Children's Home [Shodair], where they expected to remain
for at least a year." -- Helena Earthquakes, by C. R.
Anderson and M. P. Martinson, 1936 |
Earthquake-damaged
Stack Shot Down, 1935
| National
Guardsmen with high-powered rifles brought down the damaged stack
of the St. John's Hospital heating plant on October 18, 1935. |
COURTESY
OF THE DAVID POOR COLLECTION
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
Derelict St. John's Buildings Demolished, 1950
The
1939 St. John's Hospital
46°35'4.71"N
112° 2'13.51"W
COURTESY
OF THE DAVID POOR COLLECTION • CLICK
ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
| The 1939
St. John's Hospital building is still standing, but the hospital
closed in 1973. It now serves as offices and a nursing home facility. |
Dedication
of the cornerstone, St. John's Hospital, June 24 1939
COURTESY
OF KATHRYN FEHLIG •
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
|
The cornerstone
from the 1884 building was relaid in the 1939 building. The
stone was opened after being removed from the 1884 building,
and was found to contain a dedicatory review of the hospital's
history, a prayer for the instution's success, business and
professional cards from Helena's leading citizens, and a sprig
of pine -- an evergreen symbol of life. These relics were replaced
in the stone, along with items from 1939.
|
COURTESY
OF KATHRYN FEHLIG
| Dedication
of the cornerstone St. John's Hospital, June 24 1939 (detail).
At the center is Bishop J. M. Gilmore. |
COURTESY
OF KATHRYN FEHLIG
|
An informal
photo taken on the day of the cornerstone dedication. Standing
at center is George Jacoby, the building contractor. Seated
to the right is Msgr. Victor Day. The man on the left may be
architect J. G. Link.
THANKS TO SISTER DOLORES BRINKEL,
ARCHIVIST OF THE DIOCESE OF HELENA, FOR HER HELP ON THIS SECTION.
|
Lobby,
St. John's Hospital
COURTESY
OF THE DAVID POOR COLLECTION
Chapel,
St. John's Hospital
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
•
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
Shrine
and oratory, St. John's Hospital
COURTESY
OF ORCHARD LAKES SCHOOLS, ORCHARD LAKE, MICHIGAN
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