Thank you so much for this history. I remember as a kid, going to see my grandpa, out of town (we lived in Springfield)and for some reason when I saw Quincy I thought that rang a bell. Now that I see Decatur, he may have been there - I don't remember a hospital of any kind out on So.Grand,E. We lived out there when I was in K-3rd grade. My uncle was at the Decatur hospital tho' - both he and my grandpa worked for Wabash and CI&M. My dad did off and on when he would be out of work - he worked for the print shops. Thanks again. Marilyn - Fla. -----Original Message----- From: RLBradley [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 3:29 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ILSANGAM-L] Re: William Andrew Porter WABASH HOSPITAL BUILT IN 1903 It stood for nearly 100 years and, like other hospitals in the city, filled a very important need during the first half of the 20th century. Deserted, desolate and left standing alone in its later years, the old Wabash Employees Hospital, at the corner of Grand and Warren, succumbed to demolition in February, 1996, and disappeared without much publicity. It was there as always -- and then it was gone, and it seemed like the city ignored its passing. Maybe it was because the structure had not been a hospital for many years, and new generations forgot about its reason for existence. Also, the dominance of the railroads of a century ago, changed over the generations, as did the need for a hospital employees of a railroad company. Although the 45-bed hospital opened on October 7, 1903 at 360 East Grand Avenue, plans for the hospital were initially discussed in 1882, when a chief surgeon of the Wabash railroad lines expressed his idea of building a hospital in Decatur for employees of the company. Considering that Decatur had just experienced the founding of its first hospital, St. Mary's, only four years previous, and the railroad had a tremendous number of workers in the Decatur area who would utilize the services of a hospital, the idea seemed like a good one. However, the railroad workers were deadset against the plan and even indicated that they would strike if it proceeded any further. When resistance to the idea had cooled a little 2 years later, the president of Wabash ordered it to be put into action. Still, it was almost 20 years until the 45-bed hospital opened on East Grand Avenue and, for the first 62 years of its existence it admitted only Wabash Railr oad employees. Decatur had many trains and railroad employees during that time and, there was a need to add another 40 private rooms to the structure in 1925. Another addition, which included a modern surgical suite, was completed in 1967. When the railroad business declined, because of other ways to transport goods and people, there was a decrease in the number of employees on the railroad, which meant a decrease in the number of patients at the hospital. It was in 1965, the hospital started accepting non-Wabash employees and changed its named from the Wabash Employees Hospital, to the Wabash Memorial Hospital. CLOSES ITS DOORS However, with the dominance of St. Mary's and Decatur-Macon County Hospital, the hospital closed its doors in 1972 simply because it didn't have enough patients to keep operating. It had outlived its reason for existing. The few patients who remained when it was closed, were transferred to St. Mary's Hospital. Many people remember when Dave Condon bought the building back in the 1970s and used it for the Decatur Community Health Improvement Center or the CHIC operation. Eventually, it stood deserted and became an eyesore in the neighborhood. The grass of what had once been a beautiful lawn became a field of tall weeds and trees and brush grew up around it until much of its architecture was hidden from the view of neighborhood residents and the occupants of cars that drove by the front on Grand Avenue. Although the operation of the Wabash Employees Hospital ceased to exist many years ago, the Wabash Memorial Hospital Association continues to serve thousands of employees, members and retirees, with offices located at 1501 North Water Street -- only a few blocks from the old hospital site. ==== ILSANGAM Mailing List ==== Wonder where they settled in Sangamon? Visit the Early Arrivals location page! http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilsangam/arr-locate.htm