2/8/08

Winter Walk--Shoshone Medical Center

In January 2005, the Silver Valley was fortunate to open the doors to a new medical facility.

The history of medical care in the valley is an interesting one.
After mining became one of the largest economic influences in the valley in the late 1800's, the mining companies and unions realized hospital care was needed for the miners.

Wallace's first hospital -- Holland Memorial Hospital, was opened in 1890. It later became the Wallace Hospital at the west end of Cedar Street.

In 1891, the Miners' Union Hospital was established on the 800 block on Bank Street in Wallace. It later merged into the Providence Hospital (later in the year of 1891.)


Just for a little trivia, Sweater Girl Lana Turner, one of the Hollywood glamour girls, was born in Providence Hospital. Here is a picture of her living in Wallace at age five.



The Wallace Hosptial ceased operation in 1965. Two years later, 1967, the Providence Hospital closed its doors, and East Shoshone Hospital was opened in Silverton.

I think the Wardner Hospital was opened in about 1918. I didn't realize until I returned to the Silver Valley about 8 years ago that the Wardner Hospital was located, not in Wardner, but in Kellogg. It had been torn down by the time I was born, so I never really paid that much attention where it was located. Then I realized it was located across the street from where the current Mountain Health Clinic is on McKinley Ave. I believe my dad, my brother, my mother-in-law and PKR's oldest brother were all born in the Wardner Hospital.

So then West Shoshone Hospital was built somewhere in the 1950's, because my sister was born there, as was I.

But East Shoshone and West Shoshone Hospitals are no longer in operation. The East Shoshone Hospital building is now used for book publishing, the last I knew. The West Shoshone Hospital building was torn down so the new Shoshone Medical Center building could be constructed.

It was rather sad watching the hospital demolished a few years ago.

But the new facility is really quite nice, and offers quality medical services.

Which, if any of these hospitals, were you born?


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was born in West Shoshone, almost 44 years ago (I'm about to catch you!).

Cedar Street Kid said...

Th thanks for the memory of the Wallce Hospial. I was born there and lived my childhod one block away. When I moved back here last year, I went up there and sat on the ground around the spot I was born. I could feel the connection in a spiritual way

Cedar Street Kid said...

Th thanks for the memory of the Wallce Hospial. I was born there and lived my childhod one block away. When I moved back here last year, I went up there and sat on the ground around the spot I was born. I could feel the connection in a spiritual way

Carol Woolum Roberts said...

Laurie--That's right. I always try and remember who was born in the north, and who was born in the south.

csk--What a cool experience. I think there is a spiritual connection to places in our lives. And I think living in the Northwest tends to make that more important...if you read authors from the Northwest, place is a very important element in a lot of their writings.

betty white said...

I wasborn at the Wardner Hospital cin 1952 on Sunshine Star Route, Kellogg, id

pattypetri said...

I too was born at the Wardner Hosp. in 1951. I remember having to go there one night for a reaction to a bee sting. I was very young, and very frightened. The U of I has a wonderful picture archive of the valley. The only picture I could not find was of the Wardner Hosp....:( Patty

Anonymous said...

My twin sister and I were born in the East Shoshone Hospital. I went back to visit there a couple years ago and the location like Silver Valley Girl said is definitely a spiritual connection.