St. John’s Hospital
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 43° 28.873 W 110° 45.745
12T E 519213 N 4814282
Historical marker in front of the St. John’s Hospital.
Waymark Code: WME710
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 04/11/2012
Views: 3
The St. John’s Hospital was constructed in 1916.
Text of Sign:
Until recently, the concrete sidewalk ahead of you led to St. John’s Hospital.
Prior to construction of the hospital in 1916, Dr. Charles W. Huff - the only physician within 125 miles - treated patients in their homes, performing operations on kitchen tables by daylight when possible, by lantern light when necessary.
The much-needed hospital was the result of cooperative community effort. Property acquired from the tow saloon keeper, money pledged by the Protestant Episcopal Church of Wyoming, and labor and financial contributions from citizens and visitors, made the dream a reality.
The logs were cut in Cache Creek. O April 16, 1916, Dr. Huff and a team of volunteers shoveled away four feet or spring snow to begin construction. The completed structure included beds four four patients, a small operating room, a kitchen and tiny office. The first registered nurse arrived in June of the same year, ad the hospital opened to serve the community.
The log structure was enlarged in 1919 and again in 1925. By 1934 it held twenty-five beds and a newly modernized operating room. The hospital staff included the superintendent, Mrs. Helen Lang, and three to six registered nurses in addition to a cook, a janitor and a full-time maid during the busy summer season. It functioned as a fully equipped, modern hospital until 1960, when a new facility was opened on East Broadway.
The original structure was replaced by St. John’s Church rectory, but many of the valley’s natives recall the old log hospital and Dr. Charles Huff, the “Doctor of Jackson’s Hole”.
Marker Name: St. John’s Hospital
Marker Type: City
Addtional Information: Not listed
Group Responsible for Placement: Not listed
Date Dedicated: Not listed
Marker Number: Not listed
Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Wyoming history please include that in your log.