# Creepy Rural Hospital - The decline of rural healthcare [WARNING: PIC HEAVY!!]



## BritishAtHeart (Jan 25, 2016)

Unfortunately, because of where I live, I will have to be pretty scarce about the history on some of the locations that I post here. Living in a very small community, things get around pretty quick and if anyone were to stumble upon this than you can bet that the location I about to show you would be locked up tight and watched like a hawk. Apparently people around here aren't afraid to call the cops either,from what I hear. Although most times you can be long gone before they decide to show up.

The first doctor in the area came between 1928 and 1930, operating out of his home here in the community. His practice included a small operating room and a few beds for patients. 

Before long, the community grew as did the demand for a bigger hospital. Unfortunately money was an issue so the community came together and raised what they could, building the hospital with their own hands, completed in 1938 it became one of the first examples in this area of 'modern medicine' staffed by the good doctor and a recent medical school graduate. The good doctor also continued to make house calls for those patients that were unable to come to him.

The location of my explore was built after 1950 and the former hospital became a nurses residence. The 22 bed hospital boasted an X-ray room, a lab and two 'treatment' rooms. No major surgeries were done here, patients were shipped to one of the nearby towns or to the city. It also had a small maternity ward as well as a pediatric ward with the rest of the beds being available to the public. it closed in the early to mid '90's due to healthcare cutbacks, the rural hospitals were the first to close. Plus doctors chose to work in the cities where they would get paid more so soon there was a shortage of doctors as well.

Half of the facility was also a long term care facility for those in the community that could not take care of themselves anymore or who needed to be in the hospital for an extended period of time. The hospital fed those residents and the public with a kitchen facility in the basement. Patients were also encouraged to enjoy the sun room to the south of the hospital.

I'd also just like to mention that there was a makeshift morgue in the basement where they would keep the deceased until the undertaker could come get them from a nearby town. There's nothing actually in the morgue, it's just a bare room with a gravel drive so a van could pull up and they could get a body out discreetly. 

Honestly,this place gives me the creeps! every time I go to a certain area and try to get a decent pic it won't let me. I've also had my camera messed with and feel like the whole time I am there I am being watched. The dark pic of the main hallway below is an example of that.

On with the pictures....
[WARNING THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIT PIC HEAVY!!]





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The once lovely sun room..



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And I'm in!



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Creepy curtained window shot



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The front desk. Behind that boarded up door to the left is where it really gets interesting and creepy!



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This is the main hallway I was talking about:



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Dumbwaiter, they used it to bring up supplies and food from the kitchen.



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What is this? I was next to the autoclave??? There used to be taps or a hose on it at one time, I can't remember which.



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Sadly it's broken...



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Thanks for looking!!


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## UrbanX (Jan 25, 2016)

Lovely set of images. B&W shots certainly make it look 'eerie'! 
Thanks for sharing


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## Rubex (Jan 25, 2016)

Wow, what an amazing explore  great find!


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## smiler (Jan 25, 2016)

That is good, I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## BritishAtHeart (Jan 25, 2016)

Thanks everyone so far for the replies! 

Right now,this location is up for sale again and it's future looks grim. Parts, if not all, of this hospital is filled with asbestos and abatement is costly. Now mold has also set into the walls so they would have to be ripped out as well. Cost is estimated at a good $500,000. That's just to repair it to make it possibly livable again. Then money would have to be spent to do the place up the way it's intended.

As I mentioned previously I have been going through photos and found three more of the hospital.

Angles of the sun room



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This was the makeshift morgue.



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## flyboys90 (Jan 26, 2016)

The sink looks like a sluice!Great info and eerie shots.


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## BritishAtHeart (Jan 26, 2016)

*Creepy Rural Hospital*



flyboys90 said:


> The sink looks like a sluice!Great info and eerie shots.




Thanks! and yeah, that would make sense. Don't know what happened to the door to the autoclave, probably some stupid vandals.


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