Each day, traveling south on the Jefferies and merging onto the east bound Fisher freeway, a streamlined metal clad vacant building rises along the horizon glistening in the southwest Detroit sun. Horizontal bands of tinted windows alternate with bands of dulled stainless steel panels. With closer inspection, the vertical rusting panel joints compliment the rhythm of the windows, many of which are broken. The modern styled design, devoid of any extraneous ornamentation, stands in sharp contrast to its traditionally styled brick and mortar neighbors.
The now vacant building was home to Detroit's last Black owned hospital. Because white hospitals refused to hire black nurses, segregated its colored patients in separate wings, refused to allow Black doctors to perform surgery and required Black doctors to consult with White doctors before admitting patients, Black doctors started a tradition of opening their own hospitals. Detroit would be home to not only the most hospitals dedicated to Black patients, but also showcase the most owned by African-Americans.
Southwest Detroit Hospital was the last of these Black owned hospitals to close. Opened in 1974, when four smaller hospitals (two Black owned) merged, it would last only 16 years. As federal standards for hospitals changed, small hospitals such as Southwest Detroit found themselves unable to complete with its larger sized, better equipped, competition.
According to my own research, only two other structures which housed Detroit Black hospitals remain standing: Dunbar Memorial and Trumbell General.
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| Dunbar Memorial |
Dunbar Memorial Hospital was one of the first Black hospitals to open in the City of Detroit. It was opened in 1919 by 30 members of the Allied Medical Society, an organization formed by African-American doctors angry with their White counterpart's treatment. The hospital would expand from 27 beds to 40 beds in 1924 and would open Detroit's first school of Nursing for Black women. In 1927, it would move to Brush and Illinois becoming Parkside Hospital. It would remain open for 35 years closing finally in 1962.
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| Trumbull General |
Trumbel General was originally located at 3966 Trumbell within a beautiful victorian home (not far from today's Motor City Casino) that has recently been renovated into lofts.
Below is a list of other long lost Detroit Black hospitals. They reflect a time when healthcare was delivered in small community based hospitals within buildings that blended into their neighborhoods. Follow this
link to a University of Michigan project funded by the W.K. Kellogg foundation to learn more about each hospital.
Still standing
Dunbar Memorial Hospital (580 Frederick St.)
1918-1927
Southwest Detroit Hospital (2401 20th Street)
1974-1991
Trumbell General (3966 Trumbell)
closed in 1974
Lost
Boulevard General (1852 West Grand Blvd)
1960-1974
Burton Mercy (271 Eliot)
1949-1974
Delray General (7125 W. Jefferson)
closed in 1974
Baily General Hospital (292 E. Ferry)
1970-1974
Bethesda Hospital (544 East Garfield)
1931-1965
Fairview Sanatorium (441 E. Ferry)
1931-c.1960
Good Samaritan Hospital (503 E. Palmer)
1929-1966
Haynes Memorial Hospital (73 E. Palmer)
1950-1967
Kirwood General Hospital (301 E. Kirby)
1943-1974
Mercy General Hospital (73 Russell St, 688 Winder, 2929 W. Boston Boulevard)
1917-1976
Mount Lebanon Hospital (2610 S. 14th Street)
1950-1958
Parkside Hospital (Brush and Illinois)
1928-1962
St. Aubin General Hospital (St. Aubin and Maple)
1931-c.1947
Edyth K. Thomas Memorial Hospital (556 East Garfield)
1937-1965
Trinity Hospital (E. Congress and DuBois, 681 E. Vernor)
1934-1962
Wayne Diagnostic Hospital (271 Eliot between John R. and Brush)
1939-1949
The closing date for Wayne Diagnostic Hospital is wrong. I was born in that hospital in the year of 1950 and the birth record is from wayne Diagnostic Hospital time dated July 19,1950, with the goal seal that the hospital used at that time. I was on your sight only to find out what happened to the hospital that I was born in, for my personal history interest.
ReplyDeleteI' was born at Trumbull General was this a federal or state funded Hospital, back in the Day Very beautiful hospital, hope its still standing..❤
DeleteI also agree that the hospital closing date is wrong. My birth certificate says I was born in Wayne Diagnostic Hospital on January 1, 1955.
DeleteMy sister was born at Wayne Diagnostic in 1951. My mom says the name change occurred several years later.
DeleteI was born at Wayne Diagnostic on July 11 1950
DeleteIt was on Warren Ave between John R & Brush
DeleteI was born at Trumble General in 1947. It was renovated and turned into lofts.
ReplyDeleteDirectly across Trumble was a beautiful Detroit public library Nd at the corner of Michigan St. Was the Globe Theater.. neither ate still standing.
I was born at Trumble General Hospital in 1947. Directly across Trumble was a beautiful Detroit public library branch and at Trumble St and Michigan Ave. was the Globe Theater where I remember seeing Forbidden Planet staring Walter Pigeon and Robbie the robot.. lol
ReplyDeleteI was born at Trinity Hospital in 1954. My mother passed just a few months after, & I grew up in California.
ReplyDeleteI also was born at Trinity Hospital the year October 1954.
DeleteI was born at Trumbull hospital in the 1950's.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone with a degree in histroical, hospital's in Detroit, MI That would possibly know if Trumble General, hospital was State Funded hospital, or are all hospitals State funded...?
ReplyDeleteA sound knowledge of math and science could prove very handy. Most of the time, nurses are expected to perform conversions on doses. Since they will be often exposed to various bacteria and viruses, knowing about preventive care could prove very useful. A good nurse should be able to understand and communicate with the doctors and co-workers. online cna classes ca
ReplyDeleteI was born at Burton Mercy hospital in 1958. I remember having an African American doctor named Dr Brown. He often came to our house and cared for us. He actually did house calls for his constituency.
ReplyDeleteMy mother who is now 85 years old share it with me a horrific experience that she had while in Edith k Thomas hospital back in 1963. Based on the things that she told me which did bring me to tears, I believe that she witnessed things that we only see in the movies and she was there for 2 weeks and according to her she had to escape to get away from the traumatizing experience. Since she shared this with me I have been trying to find some of the doctors just to see if I could pull up any information that would substantiate the things she shared with me. If anybody out there witnessed anything horrific or heard anything horrific about that hospital please respond to my comment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was born at Trumbull General in July of 1960. It was beautiful then and the renovations today continue that beautiful look.
ReplyDelete