St. Luke's Hospital (Davenport, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
St. Luke's Hospital is a former hospital building located on a bluff overlooking downtown Davenport, Iowa
, United States
. It is listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, the second Bishop of Iowa
proposed the establishment of a hospital in Davenport. The diocese had previously started hospitals in Des Moines (1878) and in Cedar Rapids
(1884). Funding for the new hospital in Davenport came from money left in an account for the defunct Iowa Christian Home, which amounted to $10,176.45. With the money the Trustees of the Iowa Christian Home purchased the Daniel Newcomb residence on Eighth Street. A 20 bed hospital was created after spending $1,600 to remodel the house. St. Luke’s Hospital formally opened on April 30, 1885. Of the 22 member Board of Managers for the hospital, 13 were women with Mrs. Walter Chambers serving as its first president. Women would serve as the hospital’s chief officer until 1946.
St. Luke’s was the city’s second hospital after Mercy Hospital, which was founded by the Sisters of Mercy
of the Catholic Church in 1869. St. Luke’s was meant as an emergency facility to complement Mercy, which was a long-term care faculty. The operating room for the hospital was on the second floor. The day’s weather determined if surgery would be held on any given day. If it was sunny there was enough light and surgery would proceed. If it was overcast, surgery had to be postponed. Doctors and nurses did not wear surgical masks and a relative of the patient was allowed into the room during surgery in street clothes.
The Davenport Training School for Nurses was begun at the hospital on August 27, 1895 and changed its name to St. Luke’s Hospital Training School two years later. In 1903 the hospital added space for an additional 50 patients as well as modern operating rooms. By 1909 the hospital was treating 356 patients. Changes in the operating rooms included doctors and nurse wearing surgical gowns, gloves and the instruments were sterilized. The fee for major surgery had doubled to $10 from the 1895 rate.
The hospital became a charter member of the American Hospital Association
in 1918. It also expanded the same year by building a new facility at Bridge and High Streets. The Eighth Street location was abandoned when the new hospital opened in December 1919. The old building was converted to apartments. Major expansions occurred at the hospital in the 1950s, 60s and 80s. St. Luke’s worked toward consolidating with Mercy Hospital in 1975 and 1976, but in the end they remained separate. Finally, in 1993 it was decided to merge the two hospitals. On May 24, 1994 Genesis Health System
was created.
with a shallow hipped roof
, bracketed eaves
and a belvedere
on the top of the roof. The 1903 addition was built to compliment the older building. The pitch of the roof, however, is steeper and it includes dormers at various points. It is also a little simpler in design without the bracketed eaves.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
In 1892 the Rt. Rev. William Stevens PerryWilliam Stevens Perry
William Stevens Perry was a 19th century bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America and an educator. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Iowa from 1876 - 1898....
, the second Bishop of Iowa
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America which covers all of Iowa. It is in Province VI. Its offices are in Des Moines, and it has two cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of St...
proposed the establishment of a hospital in Davenport. The diocese had previously started hospitals in Des Moines (1878) and in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
(1884). Funding for the new hospital in Davenport came from money left in an account for the defunct Iowa Christian Home, which amounted to $10,176.45. With the money the Trustees of the Iowa Christian Home purchased the Daniel Newcomb residence on Eighth Street. A 20 bed hospital was created after spending $1,600 to remodel the house. St. Luke’s Hospital formally opened on April 30, 1885. Of the 22 member Board of Managers for the hospital, 13 were women with Mrs. Walter Chambers serving as its first president. Women would serve as the hospital’s chief officer until 1946.
St. Luke’s was the city’s second hospital after Mercy Hospital, which was founded by the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
of the Catholic Church in 1869. St. Luke’s was meant as an emergency facility to complement Mercy, which was a long-term care faculty. The operating room for the hospital was on the second floor. The day’s weather determined if surgery would be held on any given day. If it was sunny there was enough light and surgery would proceed. If it was overcast, surgery had to be postponed. Doctors and nurses did not wear surgical masks and a relative of the patient was allowed into the room during surgery in street clothes.
The Davenport Training School for Nurses was begun at the hospital on August 27, 1895 and changed its name to St. Luke’s Hospital Training School two years later. In 1903 the hospital added space for an additional 50 patients as well as modern operating rooms. By 1909 the hospital was treating 356 patients. Changes in the operating rooms included doctors and nurse wearing surgical gowns, gloves and the instruments were sterilized. The fee for major surgery had doubled to $10 from the 1895 rate.
The hospital became a charter member of the American Hospital Association
American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association is an organization that promotes the quality provision of health care by hospitals and health care networks through such efforts as promoting effective public policy and providing information related to health care and health administration to health care...
in 1918. It also expanded the same year by building a new facility at Bridge and High Streets. The Eighth Street location was abandoned when the new hospital opened in December 1919. The old building was converted to apartments. Major expansions occurred at the hospital in the 1950s, 60s and 80s. St. Luke’s worked toward consolidating with Mercy Hospital in 1975 and 1976, but in the end they remained separate. Finally, in 1993 it was decided to merge the two hospitals. On May 24, 1994 Genesis Health System
Genesis Health System
Genesis Health System is a health system based in Davenport, Iowa that provides health services to a 10-county region of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Genesis Health System operates a hospital with two campuses in the city of Davenport, hospitals in the cities of Silvis, Illinois and DeWitt,...
was created.
Architecture
The Daniel Newcomb House, which became St. Luke’s Hospital, was built in the Italianate style. It is built of red brickBrick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
with a shallow hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
, bracketed eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
and a belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
on the top of the roof. The 1903 addition was built to compliment the older building. The pitch of the roof, however, is steeper and it includes dormers at various points. It is also a little simpler in design without the bracketed eaves.