In 1845 the Daughters of Charity founded St. Vincent's Hospital, the first in Michigan. They moved to the present site in 1850, renaming the hospital St. Mary's. Here charitable, non-sectarian care included attention to orphans, epidemic victims and the insane until separate facilities were provided. During the Civil and Spanish-American wars, St. Mary's served as a military hospital. Gradually it expanded to provide 325 beds and a wide range of medical and teaching services. Extensive remodeling ensured patient comfort and modernized care. Its voluntary closing in 1949 promoted a non-profit corporation of St. Mary's physicians to purchase and rename the hospital Detroit Memorial. Thus, a long tradition of medical care continues on this site. (source is below)
St. Mary's was then closed, reopened and renamed, eventually to the Providence Hospital. The Providence Hospital claims to have been established in 1845. Thus, its origin is shown here -- but hidden from the public.
The Providence Hospital tries to hide its origin as an asylum for the insane.
In Michigan, the Eloise Hospital for the insane became the country's largest insane asylum. It is even possible that the Eloise Hospital WAS, in fact, the beginning of the whole mess -- see the quote here.
This is the official page from the Providence Hospital.
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Providence Hospital, a
459-bed teaching hospital, located in
Southfield, Michigan, traces its roots in
the community to 1845 when the
Daughters of Charity established its
predecessor, St. Vincent’s Hospital, in
Detroit. During that 156-year history,
thousands of people have benefited from
the compassionate, caring tradition that
became the hallmark of Providence. The Hospital moved from Detroit to Southfield in 1965. In addition to the main Hospital, the Providence network now offers outpatient care at more than 20 primary care and specialty care centers. |
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Providence Hospital and
Medical Centers (PHMC) is a member of the
St. John Health System (SJHS), a
growing network of community-based health
care services that provides comprehensive
prevention, primary care and treatment
programs. SJHS includes over 20,000
employees, 3,200 physicians, 175 medical
offices and 10 hospitals in six
counties.
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Registered Site S0424 Erected 1974 Detroit, Wayne County Home Evidence indicates that this Marker is no longer in place. |
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| © 1991-2002 James Brennan. All rights reserved. | ||
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Source
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Detroit's First Asylums and Orphanages
Under a special Act of
Legislaters, promoters of Charitable
Insitiutions engaged in a movement to become
incorporated in 1837 as The Ladies'
Protestant Orphan Asylum.
The directors were
Mrs.
Charles C. Trowbridge, Mrs. Robert Stuart and
Mrs. Thomas Palmer,
and the Asylum was opened in a building
donated, rent free, by
Cullen Brown,
on Beaubein Street, south of Fort Street.
The Institution, although has relocated
several times, has remained in operation,
with the exception of a 6 year interval, for
over 125 years. It's incorporation under the
name of The Protestant Orphan Asylum dates
from June 8, 1889. At that time, it's
location was at 988 Jefferson Avenue.
St Vincent's Catholic Orphan Asylum was later
opened by the Catholic Female Association,
who had organized in 1834, for the relief of
the sick and poor of Detroit. It's
organization almost coincided with the
Cholera Epidemic that broke out in the city.
The parish priest,
Father
Kundig,
took care of 30 children, who's parents have
fallen victim to the disease.
In the Spring of 1836,
Father
Kundig,
leased 26 acres of land adjoining the County
Farm, which was located on the North side of
Gratiot West of Mt Elliott Avenue, and
erected a building there. The children were
cared for largely by the Female Association,
and
Father Kundig.
During the Panic of 1837, followed by a
depression, Father Kundig went bankrupt and
some of his creditors seized the clothing
belonging to the 30 children in the asylum.
In 1839, the asylum was closed and the
children were distributed to farmers or
family acquaintances.
A similar work was revived in 1851, by the
Sister's of Charity, who opened a house under
the name, St Vincent's Female Orphan Asylum,
in an old building on the Southside of Larned
near Randolph Street. After 2 moves, they
established in a brick building on Randolph,
between Congress and Larned Streets.
(previously the
Bishop's
residence) The capacity was
150 and it stayed open until 1876. In July of
that year, they moved to a spacious 252 x 260
foot lot on McDougall Avenue between Larned
and Congress, with accomodations for 250
females.
The Sister of Charity also open the House of
Providence in 1869, for destitute children
and unfortuneate women. It was located on
14th Street between Dazelle and Marantette.
It was incorporated in 1874.
On June 2, 1857, a meeting of 60 ladies from
the First Congregational Church was held to
consider establishing an organization to help
the hungry children of the city, who went
begging door to door. They established The
Industrial School, which for half a century
was one of the most popular and useful local
institutions in the City. It was opened
October 5, 1857, in an upstairs room at 26
Monroe Avenue with 16 students. In May of
1858, it moved to the Northwest corner of
Washington and Grand River, into a 2-story
building. By 1866, there were able to
purchase the property and in 1879, were able
to completely replace the building with a new
3-story structure. The school was open to
girls under age 14 years and to boys under
age 10 years. They were taught useful
occupations and given an education.
St Anthony's Male Orphan Asylum, one of the
more prominent of the early institutions, was
open May 26, 1867. It was located on Gratiot
Avenune on the
Malcher Farm.
This was a Catholic Institution, originally
managed by trustees, but in 1877, managed by
the Franciscan Order.
St Luke's Hospital and Church Home was open
by St Paul's Protestant Epsicopal Church in
1861. They were located on Lafayette in 1864,
on West 4th Street in 1868, and later on
Highland Avenue.
The Boy's Home and D'Arcambal Association was
another charitable organization. It was
developed from the D'Arcambal Home of
Industry for discharged prisoners, founded by
Mrs. Agnes D'Arcambal
in 1890. After her death, the association was
incorporated and began the work of caring for
young boys. The boys were housed at first in
the Old
Biddle
House, on Jefferson Avenue, and later moved
to Lafayette Street near Third. In 1907, the
institution was moved to farmland in
Farmington Township.
St Joseph's Retreat, once known as Michigan
Retreat for the Insane, located in Dearborn,
began in 1860, when
Sister
Mary DeSales
established a home for the insane on Michigan
Avenue just west of 24th Street. The grounds
were originally used for farming and for
convalescents of St Mary's Hospital. In 1870,
a brick building was erected, and the
institution was incorporated in December of
that same year, and later incorporated again,
under it's new name in November of 1883. The
decision to move to Dearborn was made in
1885, and they opened at their new location
October 28, 1886.
By Legislative Act of June 23, 1828, the
people of the City of Detroit, were
authorized to vote on the question of the
Wayne County Poor House. They voted against
erecting a new building for this project,
however by Acts of June 22, 1830 and March 3,
1831, the Board of Supervisors were empowered
to purchase 160 acres of land for a poor
farm, and erect a suitable building.
On March 8, 1832, Supervisors appointed a
committee to seek a suitable site with
expenses of $1,200. The Committee purchased
17 acres from
John L. Leib
in Hamtramck on March 27, 1832. The site is
now the Northwest corner of Gratiot and Mt
Elliot Avenues.
Charles Moran and Edmund Brush
contracted
David French
on October 4, 1832 to build a Poor House
building. The building itself was 66 feet x
22 feet and 2-stories. The first keeper was
J.P. Cooley,
who managed for only a year and a half, under
the direction of the Board of Supervisors. In
1834, the Board of Superintendents of the
Poor, was created, and
Rev Martin Kundig
was appointed Superintendent.
The Sister's of St Clare were placed in
direct charge of the institution until the
inmates moved to the 2nd Poorhouse, in 1839.
During Kundig's administration a second
epidemic of cholera broke out in Detroit and
the Poorhouse was soon filled with children
who's parents died by the plague. To relieve
the conditions Kundig purchased a site
adjoining the County property and erected a
free orphan's home.
After Kundig lost everything of value he
owned, he still remained Superintendent until
April 10, 1839, when the location of the
Poorhouse was moved to Nankin Township.
The new location in Nankin was in the middle of a forest and was only a log house formerly known as the Black House Tavern. One rough road led to the house. The Board erected a 2-story frame building East of the log tavern.
In February 1845, a brick building was
approved to replace the log house. The new
building was 85 feet long by 36 feet wide and
2 and half stories high. One large fireplace
heated the entire building. Two cells were
constructed for "the unruly" and "crazy".
Chains were fastened to the walls to help
restrain any violent inmates.
In 1856, the frame building was moved East of
the brick building and an extension of 40
feet was added to the brick building.
In 1859 a 70 foot by 34 foot wing extending North from the main building was authorized and constructed. Additions and improvements were made until February of 1896.
The entire area was then known as Eloise,
which designated the entire group of the
Wayne County Poorhouse, the Infirmary, and
the Hospital. Later consisting of only Eloise
Infirmary, Eloise Sanitorium, and Eloise
Hospital.
The Infirmary was the development of the
Wayne County Poor House, called Wayne County
Almshouse in 1872 and later The Wayne County
House in 1886.
On June 2, 1913, it became the Eloise
Infirmary. By 1914, the women's annex to the
infirmary was added.
The Eloise Sanatorium was a new hospital for
the treatment of tuberculosis, by the outdoor
method, which opened in 1903, with 2 tents
outside, with brick foundations. The first
building for indoor treatment was completed
in May of 1911 and opened for patients June
6, 1911.
The name Eloise Hospital was adopted August
18, 1911, for the group of buildings devoted
to the care of mentally diseased patients,
formerly known as the Wayne County Asylum.
Bridget Hughes
was the first person admitted as "insane" and
she remained an inmate for 53 years.
The first large building was a 2 and half
story brick building, consisting of a center
structure and 2 wings, one on each side. This
was completed in 1869, and the "insane" were
housed in the center. The wings were added in
1876. The center eventually was reconstructed
in 1899, and another wing was added in 1904
and in 1905.
Building C was first called Women's New
Building and erected in 1894. Building D,
originally called Women's Insane Hospital,
was constructed in 1904. A post office was
also established in 1894, named Eloise.
(daughter of
Freeman B. Dickerson,
then President of the Board)
The earliest Hospital in the City to have a
continuous existence, was St Mary's, which
opened June 9, 1845. On November 6, 1850 the
location was Clinton Street near St Antoine.
Prior to 1866, there was a Soldier's Home
located in the Arsenal Building, at the
corner of Jefferson Avenue and Main Street,
it was relocated in 1866 to Harper Hospital.
One of the last (of the Early) Public
Institutions to open was the Merill-Palmer
Motherhood & Home Training School in 1918. It
was a training school for girls 10 years old
and up, to prepare them for wifehood and
motherhood.
| Year | Enumeration | Institution | Year | Enumeration | Institution |
| 1850 | 27th District | Lyons Hotel | 1860 | Nankin Township | Wayne County Poor House |
| 1850 | 27th District | Hillardow Boarding House | 1860 | Ward 1 | The Michigan Exchange |
| 1850 | 27th District | Borriman Boarding House | 1860 | Ward 1 | Baggs Hotel |
| 1850 | 27th District | Hardt Boarding House | 1860 | Ward 1 | Garrison House |
| 1850 | 27th District | Barston Hotel | 1860 | Ward 3 | Detroit Concert Hall |
| 1850 | 27th District | Purdy Hotel | 1860 | Ward 3 | Biddle House |
| 1850 | 27th District | Soldier's Home | 1860 | Ward 10 | US Marine Hospital |
| 1850 | 29th District | 1850 Wayne County Jail | 1860 | Ward 10 | Protestant Orphan Asylum |
| 1850 | 27th District | 1850 Rail Road Hotel | 1850 | 27th District | Gilgan Boarding House & Moore Hotel |
| 1850 | 29th District | Haulg Boarding Home | 1860 | 27th District | US Arsenal - Dearborn |
| 1860 | Ward 2 | Merchants Exchange | 1860 |
Some 1880 Public Residencies & Asylums in Detroit
| Enumeration District | Ward | Institution Name |
| 269 | Ward 1 | Knight Boarding House |
| 270 | Ward 1 | Central Hotel |
| 273 | Ward | Sacred Heart Orphan Asylum |
| 275 | Ward 1 | St Mary's Hospital |
1900 Eloise & Detroit
| Enumeration District | Name of Institution | Enumeration District | Name of Institution |
| Nankin Township | Eloise Hospital & Infirmary | Nankin Township | Wayne County Poor House |
| District 2/Ward 1-Detroit | Russell House | District 2/Ward 1-Detroit | St Clair Hotel |
| District 1/Ward 1-Detroit | Atwater Hotel | District 3/Ward 1-Detroit | Farras Street Hotel |
| District 5/Ward 1-Detroit | The Lewis Home Metric Institution & School | District 1/ Ward 1 | Grandall Hotel |
| Dearborn - Enumeration 180 | St Joseph's Retreat |
Institutions of Detroit in 1920
| Enumeration District | Name of Institution | Enumeration District | Name of Institution |
| 13 | McGregory Institute | 22 | Jewish Old People's Home |
| 28 | Grace & Harper Hospital | 29 | King's Hospital for the Insane |
| 29 | Women's Detention Center | 30 | Women's Hospital & Infant's Home |
| 51 | Van Leaven Brown Hospital and School | 60 | Sister's of Charity |
| 62 | Frances E. Wellard Home | 75 | Home for Old Ladies Heacombs Home |
| 79 | Thompsons Home for Old Ladies | 80 | St Joseph's Home for Boys - 1920 Census |
| 91 | Wayne County Jail | 93 | Phyllis Wheatley Home |
| 93 | Florence Crittendon Home | 104 | Children's Free Hospital |
| 115 | Monastery of Blessed Sacrament | 162 | Helping Hands Home |
| 170 | Juvenile Detention Home - 1920 Census | 182 | Salvation Army Industrial Home |
| 193 | Wesley Institute | 212 | City Municipal Hospital |
| 219 | City Tuberculosis Sanitorium | 225 | German Hungarian Arbieter Home |
| 227 | Home For The Aged | 242 | Sister's of F.H.M. |
| 268 | Providence Nursing Home | 284 | Sister's of Felician Home for Orphans |
| 293 | Arnold Home for Aged & Incurable | 295 | House of the Good Shepherd |
| 296 | St. Unreadable Convent & Sister's of Holy | 298 | St Vincent's Convent |
| 311 | Sister's of Charity | 319 | Providence Hospital & House of Providence |
| 328 | St Vincent's Orphan Asylum | 342 | Russian National Home |
| 344 | Samaritan Hospital |
347 |
Salvation Army Rescue Home & Hospital |
| 356 | Felician Sister's Convent & Orphanage | 379 | St Frances Home for Orphan Boys |
| 380 | Protestant Wayne Co Orphan Asylum | 404 | St John's Catholic School |
| 410 | West Side Sanitarium | 433 | German Protestant Home for Orphans & Old People |
| 478 | Mute & Deaf Institute | 488 | St Luke's Hospital & Home |
| 493 | Holy Redeemer & Catholic Home | 500 | Unreadable Father's Institute |
| 557 | House of Corrections | 558 | Industrial Hospital |
| 581 | Sister's Catholic Convent & School | 585 | Pennsylvania Avenue Sanitarium |
| 608 | Sister's of Felician Order |
1930 Detroit Asylums & Institutions & Eloise
| Enumeration District | Name of Institution | Enumeration District | Name of Institution |
| District 3-Detroit | McGregory Institute | District 17-Detroit | Grace Hospital-Helen Newberry Nurses Home |
| District 66 | Wayne County Jail | District 85 | Monastery of Blessed Sacrament |
| District 167 | Sacred Heart Convent | District 169 | Tuberculosis Sanitarium |
| District 182 | Detroit House of Corrections | District 230 | Pasadena Hotel |
| District 244 | Felician Sisters Convent Orphan Asylum | District 245 | Felician Sisters Mother House & Novitiate |
| District 246 | Felician Sisters Convent | District 254 | Sisters of St Stanislaus Parish |
| District 283 | House of the Good Shepherd | District 297 | Sisters of Charity St Leo's |
| District 305 | House of Providence | District 318 | St Vincent's Home & School |
| District 365 | St Francis Home for Orphan Boys | District 371 | Protestant Orphan Asylum |
| District 372 | U.S. Marine Hospital | District 384 | Sisters of Christian Charity Convent |
| District 430 | German Protestant Home for Orphans & Old People | District 453 | St Bonaventures Monastery |
| District 488 | Most Holy Redeemer Convent | District 503 | St Francis Convent |
| District 599 | Fort Wayne | District 1027 - Eloise | Wayne County Home & Insane Asylum (Eloise) |
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