Sanatoriums and Asylums of Eastern North Carolina

While I have used this blog site to discuss historical disasters, for this entry, I will discuss the release of my book that profiles many of the historical locations associated with medical care in Eastern North Carolina over the past 150 years.

The Front cover Features the S.R. Fowle Memorial Hospital in Washington, NC. 

Sanatoriums and Asylums of Eastern North Carolina is a book discussing the history of the various medical facilities in Eastern North Carolina over the past 150 years. Filled with images, postcards in many cases, many of these buildings are either no longer in use as they once were or have long since disappeared. I have included several images here used in the book or did not make the cut for the book because I had a different image. 

Sanatoriums and Asylums of Eastern North Carolina will be available at most online sites where you purchase books as of July 30, 2018.  Personalized copies can be purchased here after August 15 by clicking on the "Buy Now" button that will take you to PayPal (which provides a safe and secure online purchase option) to complete the purchase. 

The back cover features what was once the largest and most modern hospital in North Carolina, the James B. Walker Memorial Hospital in Wilmington. Walker was a Richmond Va. builder who was awarded the contract to build the US Marine Hospital in Wilmington in 1856. The hospital opened in 1859 but by that time Walker had fallen in love with the city and never left other than to build other buildings including the Western North Carolina Asylum. Nevertheless, he always returned and in his waning years, built a hospital and donated most of his wealth to creating this hospital. Sadly, it opened just months after his death in 1901.

For a personalized copy, please click the Buy It Now button (checkout with PayPal) and email me with anything you would like to have me highlight for you. Rdkearns001@gmail.com.  The price reflects the Retail Price set by Arcadia Publishing as well as Media Mail. I will upgrade your purchase to USPS Priority Mail at no additional charge. 

Thanks to Arcadia Publishing for the efforts needed to put this together. To purchase a standard copy, most local book stores in Eastern North Carolina and shops at historical sites will stock the book. Nevertheless, the online options include:

Arcadia Publishing: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467128582

Books A Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sanatoriums-Asylums-Eastern-North-Carolina/Dr-Randy-D-Kearns/9781467128582?id=7335634386760

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sanatoriums-Asylums-Eastern-Carolina-Postcard/dp/1467128589 

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sanatoriums-and-Asylums-of-Eastern-North-Carolina/979135086?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227161121524&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=272321667487&wl4=pla-451680883359&wl5=1021123&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=979135086&wl13=&veh=sem

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sanatoriums-and-asylums-of-eastern-north-carolina-dr-randy-d-kearns/1128018071?ean=9781467128582&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_New+Core+Shopping+Top+Margin+EANs_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP210221&gclid=CjwKCAjws8vaBRBFEiwAQfhs-K5TZKe9mEWSOUmDZC-z2IxuxEuvCJwfXUbr7NSDVMxJ0NhQQrCU_BoClO0QAvD_BwE

ISBN: 9781467128582
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Date: 07/30/2018
State: North Carolina
Series: Postcard History Series
Images: 204 Black And White
Pages: 128
Dimensions: 6.5 (w) x 9.25 (h) 

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1             Mental Illness (Insane Asylum) versus Mental Retardation                                 P11

2             Sanatoriums                                                                                                         P21

3             Marine, Railroad, and Port (Quarantine/Lazaretto) Camps and Hospitals           P33

4             “Colored” or “Negro” Sanatoriums and Hospitals                                                P43

5            American Civil War Hospitals                                                                               P47

6            Military and Veterans Hospitals; including those of WWI and WWII                    P61

7            Temporary Hospitals; including influenza, measles, war and natural disaster     P69

8            General Hospitals                                                                                                 P75

   9            Medical Schools, Nursing Education, Almshouses, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Ambulances, and Artifacts of Medicine                                             P115

Bibliography                                                                                                                     P126

While the book features 200 plus images, included below are several select images from the book.

In 1914, the original Albemarle Hospital opened on Riverside Avenue. In 1923, the 45-bed hospital was identified as the Pasquotank Municipal Hospital Association Inc. (American Medical 1923) Elizabeth City is located on the Albemarle Sound and next to the inter-coastal waterway that connects much of the east coast. The city is a common harbor for pleasure boats, shipping, and commerce.

Jacob Franklin Highsmith opened a doctor’s office in Fayetteville on Green Street, with rooms above for patients who needed to stay overnight in 1896. In 1899, Dr. JH Marsh joined Dr. Highsmith, the facility expanded to Market Street and became known as the Marsh-Highsmith Sanatorium. In 1902, Dr. Highsmith purchased Dr. Marsh’s interest, and it was renamed Highsmith Hospital.

The St. Luke’s Sanatorium opened in 1905 in Fayetteville. (American Medical 1906) Dr. JH Marsh who had partnered with Dr. Highsmith when the Highsmith Marsh Sanitorium first opened in Fayetteville, was the PIC. St. Luke’s Sanatorium would become known as St. Luke’s Hospital and Dr. Marsh’s Sanatorium. By 1916, the Sanatorium was no longer listed.

December 17, 1917, the Charlotte Observer reported a severe Measles outbreak at Fort Caswell in Brunswick County. A Quarantine camp surrounding the post hospital was established at the fort. 

 The first patient was admitted to the “Asylum for the Colored Insane” August 1, 1880. Governor Zebulon B. Vance described the site near Goldsboro in Wayne County as ideal because of its “good elevation in a high state of cultivation and central location for the black population.”  While it had several official names, listed here it was the Eastern Hospital of North Carolina. Today, known as Cherry Hospital.

The Odd Fellows Home in Goldsboro opened in 1892 as an orphanage. This massive complex would grow to include residential housing for the elderly (identified as the Old Folk’s Home) and an infirmary. In 1914, the 126-bed campus identified Wagner as the Superintendent. (American Medical 1914) This postcard is an image of the first building.

Dr. William Spicer’s 25- bed sanitarium (also printed as sanatorium) was established in 1914. (American Medical 1923) The sanitarium was the only approved Goldsboro hospital for “nurse training” in 1931. The Spicer Sanitarium, later operated by the Spicer Brothers (doctors) closed in 1944 after the death of one brother and the poor health of the other. The sanitarium once stood on West Ash Street near the train station. 

 Pictured above, the 42-bed Pitt Community Hospital, (also called Greenville Community) opened in 1924 (41 white, one colored bed) at the corner of Johnston and Woodlawn Streets. September 1923, during construction, a temporary hospital opened at 210 East Fifth Street (above a hardware store). In 1935, the hospital split into two divisions with Pitt Community operating a clinic and taking the surgical patients and Pitt General Hospital serving the charity care patients (same building). Creation of the two divisions was done to take advantage of Duke Endowment funds. Pitt General absorbed the Pitt Community assets in 1940. Pitt General closed when Pitt Memorial opened in 1951 with the county purchasing the assets. 

One of the state’s first hospitals, the Robert Bruce McDaniel Memorial Hospital opened in 1905 on East Gordon Street. The JA McDaniel family donated the hospital property in memory of their son (Robert Bruce) who succumbed to an illness. The two principle physicians were Drs. JM and WT Parrott. In 1914, the brothers acquired the hospital outright and renamed it for their mother; the Elisabeth Waters Parrott Memorial Hospital.

Owned by John Washington Stewart, (who also owned the Hazelton Hotel) the Stewart Sanatorium was located northwest of Cedar Grove Cemetery in New Bern. The sanatorium opened July 15, 1908 and operated as a public hospital. By 1912, the 21-bed hospital was led by Maybelle Corington, superintendent. (American Medical 1912) The building was destroyed in the great New Bern fire (1922).

The St Luke’s Hospital opened in 1914, at 403 Broad Street (corner of George Street) New Bern. The Sisters of St. Josephs of Newark, NJ purchased St. Luke’s in 1944. A three-story addition on the George Street side more than doubled the facility to 65 beds and 20 bassinets. It was seldom financially stable. In 1961, local citizens approved funding to build a consolidated Craven County Hospital.

In 1892, the ACL Relief Department Hospital was built in Rocky Mount (which borders Nash and Edgecombe Counties) for employees and their dependents. A major railroad of the time was the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL). The 35-bed hospital opened in 1899 under the direction of Dr. EB Quillen in 1906. (American Medical 1906) The hospital was lost to fire later in the 1920’s.

The Rocky Mount Sanitarium opened in 1913. The horse-drawn ambulance was one of the services provided by the hospital.

In 1882, the original Smithville quarantine station was destroyed by fire (Smithville was renamed Southport in 1887). Although beset by several delays, the US Marine Hospital Service authorized construction of a replacement facility. Completed in 1897, it was located just offshore (upriver near the Price’s Creek Lighthouse). The image circa 1907, included buildings described as quarters for detained sailors, a hospital, and a wharf. The Station was led by Dr. Julius Arthur Dosher who served as the Acting Assistant Surgeon in the US Public Health Service. By the mid-1930’s, the quarantine process was replaced by international public health laws for international trade. The station closed in 1937. 

The Washington Hospital was established in 1904 (also known as the River View/Riverview Hospital) in Beaufort County. Dr. DT Tayloe (pictured on the porch here) operated the 35-bed hospital. He later purchased the private hospital, adding to the building and renaming it the Tayloe Hospital. It closed when the Beaufort County Hospital opened in 1958.

The Community Hospital opened in 1920 at 415 North Seventh Street. While the two Wilmington hospitals offered “colored beds” or “colored wards” only white physicians had privileges to see patients in those hospitals. Seven African American physicians organized a medical society, raised funds and purchased the Niestlie Drug Store. It became their first hospital building. By 1923, this was a 50-bed hospital, led by Dr. Foster F. Burnett, PIC. Pictured here, the new Community Hospital building opened in 1939 along with a nursing education program on South 11^th Street. (1923, Eaton 1965) The hospital served the “colored patients” of the greater Wilmington area until along a community bond was passed to build a large regional hospital in 1961. It closed in 1966 along with the James Walker Hospital, when patients were moved to the New Hanover Memorial Hospital. (New Hanover County Public Library.)

The US Marine Hospital in Wilmington was built in the block bordered by 8th, Nun, 13th and Ann streets. The Confederate Government seized the hospital, and it became Confederate General Hospital #5. The medical records of the 2nd North Carolina Regiment from 1862-64 show 2,180 men used this hospital. The Medical officer (Surgeon) was Dr. TR Micks. In 1865, when the Union Army captured Wilmington, this hospital was used for Union troops. While the hospital played multiple roles during the American Civil War and in the years that followed during the occupation, between the depressed economy and the emergence of civilian hospitals, demand for the service continued to decline until it ultimately closed. The hospital building was torn down in 1951.  (New Hanover County Public Library.)

The Wilson Sanitorium was located at 216-218 E Nash Street. Established in 1895 as a 25-bed hospital, the PIC was Dr. ET Dickinson in 1923. (American Medical 1923) This promotional image of the sanitorium includes their horse-drawn ambulance. (Digital NC, contributing institution is the Wilson County Public Library.)

 

In 1912, the Wilson Hospital and Tubercular Home/Mercy Hospital opened on East Green Street. This was the first hospital for “colored only” in the region. By 1923, it had 16 beds, 12 TB beds, and Dr. FS Hargrave was the PIC. (American Medical 1923) The hospital closed in 1964 when the area hospitals merged into one large general hospital; Wilson Memorial. (Digital NC, contributing institution is the Wilson County Public Library.)

***Please note that I made a reasonable effort to catalog the asylums, sanatoriums, hospitals and those clinics used as hospitals across Eastern North Carolina as I worked on this project. Nevertheless, I realize there are communities where I could not find sufficient information or where I may have missed a hospital entirely before the deadline for publication. Two immediately come to mind; Bethel Clinic and Our Community Hospital in Scotland Neck. Nevertheless, if you know of others, please forward me whatever you can share so that we can include it in future works.

Randy Kearns rdkearns001@gmail.com or randy_kearns@med.unc.edu.

Thanks.

New Additions

After the book wrapped up, I received additional facility information that was not included in this book.  As those materials become available, I'll post them here.

New editions include:

Bethel - Bethel Clinic
Opened in 1950 and at one point, operated up to 14 beds. Most recently, the clinic was operated by Vidant Health but has since closed due to the declining visits and population of the community. 

Scotland Neck - Our Community Hospital
Originally built with Hill Burton Funding, the hospital struggled for years. Converted to a CAH but in late 2017 announced it would cease inpatient hospital operations and only operate as a long term care and assisted living facility after December 31, 2017. (Image from the Scotland Neck Commonwealth 1993).

Elizabeth City - Pasquotank Asylum 

Operated as a "colored asylum" in the 1930's, the remaining building can be found at the corner of Hoffler Street and 1321 Southern Ave. (Google Maps 2014)




No Image Available

Camp Wyatt Confederate Camp – Confederate Hospital

The Camp Wyatt Confederate Camp included a hospital and a commissary. It was located approximately 2 miles north of Fort Fisher. 

Fort Ocracoke Beacon Island – Union Hospital

Small fort was built on Beacon Island (lies between Portsmouth and Ocracoke). The earthen fort was built to protect the Ocracoke Inlet. Confederates destroyed most of the fort and abandoned the property in late July 1861. Union forces seized and occupied the island in September 1861 for the remainder of the war. Union forces rebuilt a fort naming it Fort Morgan, added a prison stockade and a hospital. The island has not been inhabited since the 1860's and nothing remains today that reflects this history. 

East Carolina Teachers Training School Infirmary – College Hospital

This is the East Carolina Teachers Training School, predecessor of East Carolina University in Greenville. This Infirmary was later transitioned to another use as the home economics department and renamed in honor of Mamie E. Jenkins. Built in 1909 and used as the Infirmary until 1929. It was replaced by the Student Health Services Infirmary in 1930.


Several points of clarification since publication. 

The Parrott Brothers are believed to have operated the first hospital based X-Ray machine. However, it was a group of students who at Davidson College in 1889 who probably produced the first X-Ray in the US. The literature further discusses that the equipment was used several times in Charlotte to confirm ingestion of items in kids and served as  the clinical reason for surgery.

There is no evidence that the equipment was installed in a hospital. Thus the claim by Parrott Hospital (first with an X-Ray in NC) at this point, remains accurate.

The Bulluck Hospital in Wilmington is believed to have hired the first female physician to work for a hospital in 1923 (Anne T Smith of Durham). She was not the first physician in NC but was the first to be hired by a hospital.

The Bulluck Hospital in Wilmington closed briefly in 1944 upon the death of Dr. Earnest Southerd Bulluck (the owner at the time). It was reopened shortly thereafter by Drs. WC Mebane, HR Coleman, EP Walker and RT Sinclair. It would close when Drs. Mebane, Walker and Dr. Sam Pace joined the physicians who were opening Cape Fear Memorial Hospital in 1953.