Omaha Emergency Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Omaha Emergency Hospital was located at 912 Douglas Street in downtown
Omaha, Nebraska
. Originally used as a brothel
, there was a great deal of debate about whether the building was an appropriate donation to the city when Anna Wilson
, a notorious madam
, willed it to the city upon her death.
, it was a three-story building with double-bay windows on the first and second floors, the house was equipped with 46 beds. The hospital was used exclusively for contagious diseases, and included a venereal clinic.
Anna Wilson, Omaha's most notorious and very rich madam
, willed the building to the city upon her death. Built as a brothel
, city officials
and the public openly argued whether it was appropriate for the city to accept the mansion as a gift. The city left much of the original ornamentation, minus the exterior stone porch
columns, which were originally carved as nude women to advertise services inside the building. Racy artwork remained in the facility's bathrooms until the building was razed in the 1940s.
Students from the Creighton University
School of Medicine were encouraged to intern at the hospital for many years.
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. Originally used as a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, there was a great deal of debate about whether the building was an appropriate donation to the city when Anna Wilson
Anna Wilson (madam)
Anna Wilson was a pioneer madam in Omaha, Nebraska. When she died she bequeathed her life savings to the City of Omaha, along with her 25-room mansion brothel, which was used as a hospital...
, a notorious madam
Madam
Madam, or madame, is a polite title used for women which, in English, is the equivalent of Mrs. or Ms., and is often found abbreviated as "ma'am", and less frequently as "ma'm". It is derived from the French madame, which means "my lady", the feminine form of lord; the plural of ma dame in this...
, willed it to the city upon her death.
History
Originally planned to be opened in 1889,, the hospital was not opened until the late 1890s. Located in the city's original Sporting DistrictSporting District
The Sporting District was an area near 16th and Harney Streets in Omaha, Nebraska where city boss Tom Dennison kept the majority of his gambling, drinking and prostitution interests from the late 19th century until the end of his reign in 1933...
, it was a three-story building with double-bay windows on the first and second floors, the house was equipped with 46 beds. The hospital was used exclusively for contagious diseases, and included a venereal clinic.
Anna Wilson, Omaha's most notorious and very rich madam
Madam
Madam, or madame, is a polite title used for women which, in English, is the equivalent of Mrs. or Ms., and is often found abbreviated as "ma'am", and less frequently as "ma'm". It is derived from the French madame, which means "my lady", the feminine form of lord; the plural of ma dame in this...
, willed the building to the city upon her death. Built as a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, city officials
Government of Omaha
The government of the City of Omaha, Nebraska consists of the Mayor of Omaha, the Omaha City Council and various departments of the City of Omaha, which in located in Douglas County, Nebraska. The city of Omaha was founded in 1854 and incorporated in 1857....
and the public openly argued whether it was appropriate for the city to accept the mansion as a gift. The city left much of the original ornamentation, minus the exterior stone porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
columns, which were originally carved as nude women to advertise services inside the building. Racy artwork remained in the facility's bathrooms until the building was razed in the 1940s.
Students from the Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
School of Medicine were encouraged to intern at the hospital for many years.