St. Joseph’s Hospital- another re -invention?
March 14, 2009 at 1:33 pm 8 comments
ED NOTE: Many Thanks to the Black River Historical Society for much of the information found here!
You can check out more of the history of St. Joseph’s Hospital (and so much more) thanks to the hard work of the volunteers of the Black River Historical Society
“St. Joseph center in crisis: Lack of tenants, operating capital could cause eventual closure”
Today’s headlines in the Morning Journal re St. Joseph’s ( Community Center) possible closing once again took me back on the Lorain’s Magical History Tour – a journey I have been on for the past few days as one thing keeps leading to another.
The headlines of today in Lorain may echo headlines of by gone days:
The Beginning:
Lorain in Retrospect- JJ Meyers
“Central Lorain became the mecca for real estate operators, led by Mr. Hogan and Wm. A Braman of Elyria….
they acquired the area upon which
“was erected a large three story frame building designed as a sanitarium, in which with the liberal internal and external application of certain water oozing from a nearby spring, a cure for numberless ailments was proclaimed by the promoters.
From Lizzie’s Guide to Lorain
http://www.loraincityhistory.org/lizzie/places/stjoseph/stjoseph_1.htm
The house was called the “Devonian Baths” and was built in 1887 over sulpher springs discovered by accident by Gilbert Hogan, who had been drilling for natural gas. This is one of the early pictures of the hospital.
This was another enterprise which “died a borning” During the the money stringency in the early nineties (1890’s) a far sighted individual in the person of Father Bihn rector of a Catholic Orphan Asylum at Tiffin,
saw the possibilities of utilizing the building and site for similar for a similar purpose and purchased for the sum of $8,000. Sisters of Charity were transferred to administer to the orphaned children…… The institution gradually evolved into the imposing and efficient St. Joseph’s Hospital of today
What next:
according to Mr. Cordes
“Hopefully, we’ll find some solutions before things come to the critical mass point,”
Hope “springs eternal”
Entry filed under: Brit take, Lorain's Magical History Tour.
That Woman's Weblog 
1. renee dore | March 14, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Hummmm, is the spring still there??? The elevator (lobby) in the Drs. office building across the street still has the sulphur odor of the spring- there used to be a sign posted as to what the source of the odor.
There is also a stricking similarity of the front of the St. Joseph Building and the front of the Lorain High Building from the 20’s and 30’s. ( another histoical story??) I wonder if the same architect built them both. Renee Dore
2. Loraine Ritchey | March 14, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Well maybe we could turn City hall ( more on that later in the week) into a hotel ( it has the lobby 🙂 and then again we could do a “jail experience bed and breakfast” and move the government of the city to St. Joes……. hmmmmmmm Brian wasn’t that one of your thoughts centralized government and police????
3. thatwoman | March 14, 2009 at 4:03 pm
After all it isn’t such a stretch the Staubach report mentioned
City Hall is taking up valuable real estate
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/there-is-a-surprise/
4. anne molnar | March 14, 2009 at 6:32 pm
It was discussed years ago that the st. joes should be demolished, and a new city hall be built on that land. Not a bad idea,. That would leave more lake front land visible. As you know Loraine, every one has a story about st. joes hospital. I have a nursing dictionary that a student nurse named betty kiser., and was published in 1921.I knew her personally, she gave it to me while I was in training. Having city hall in the center of Lorain is an excellent idea. Maybe not in our lifetime?
Budget hearing is on Monday . Sure hope we can make it.
5. thatwoman | March 14, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Thanks Anne – it would be tragic to see that building “mothballed” and another vacant building in Lorain.I certainly hope that something can be done.
6. renee dore | March 15, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Yesterday it was the news about St. Joseph’s- now today it is the news about the church I belong to-St. Mary’s………I guess beware the Ides of March. Not in any mood to comment more.
7. St. Joe’s Community Center – Let’s get fiscal/ physical – Let’s get REAL « That Woman’s Weblog | February 13, 2012 at 12:05 am
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