Bryce Hospital Administration Building, circa 1940
Mental health facilities
The building built for the Alabama Insane Hospital, later named Bryce Hospital, was designed by psychiatrist Thomas Kirkbride and architect Samuel Sloan, famed architect of the time. With three wings set in echelon formation, the hospital was an impressive sight. Over the years, extensions were added piecemeal. Ultimately, the hospital was said to have the longest roof line in the world, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not.
The hospital owned 177 acres along the Black Warrior River. The land behind the hospital was used for fields that the patients worked, growing vegetables that help feed the patients.
The Bryce Hospital property was sold to the University of Alabama in 2010. A new 268-bed hospital was constructed at the location of the former W.D. Partlow Developmental Center.
Read more about the history of Bryce Hospital at http://www.mh.alabama.gov/brycehospitalproject/History/BriefHistoryOfBryceHospital.pdf
Personal Collection of Jason Townsend
circa 1940
Betty Slowe (Description)
Photograph
22
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Bryce Hospital West Wing, circa 1912
Mental health facilities
The building built for the Alabama Insane Hospital, later named Bryce Hospital, was designed by psychiatrist Thomas Kirkbride and architect Samuel Sloan, famed architect of the time. With three wings set in echelon formation, the hospital was an impressive sight. Over the years, extensions were added piecemeal. Ultimately, the hospital was said to have the longest roof line in the world, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not.
The hospital owned 177 acres along the Black Warrior River. The land behind the hospital was used for fields that the patients worked, growing vegetables that help feed the patients.
The Bryce Hospital property was sold to the University of Alabama in 2010. A new 268-bed hospital was constructed at the location of the former W.D. Partlow Developmental Center.
Read more about the history of Bryce Hospital at http://www.mh.alabama.gov/brycehospitalproject/History/BriefHistoryOfBryceHospital.pdf
Personal Collection of Jason Townsend
Circa 1912
Betty Slowe (Description)
Postcard
26
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Druid City Hospital, circa 1940
Druid City Hospital
The original Druid City Hospital opened Mar. 28, 1923, on the University of Alabama campus. Prior to that time, Tuscaloosa had had a number of privately owned and managed hospitals. The movement for this new hospital began in 1919 when a group of Tuscaloosa physicians interested in seeing the city equipped with thorough hospital facilities called together a number of citizens and held a conference at which the ways and means of a new hospital were brought up. The result was the formation of a committee to investigate thoroughly the local situation and to report on the matter. S.F. Clabaugh was named chairman of the committee. E. I. Clarkson, Hugo Friedman, Charles Morris, F. M. Moody, F. J. Stevens, Dr. T.H. Patton, Dr. George R. Rau, Dr. George H. Searcy and Dr. J H. Ward were members of the committee. The committee reported to a citizens meeting around the first of 1920 that there was an urgent, desperate need for a modern, well-equipped hospital of not less than fifty beds to be erected and equipped at a cost of approximately $100,000. The committee was promised the cooperation of the Board of Trade, The Tuscaloosa County Medical Society, the Rotary Club and other civic organizations.
The University gave to the City of Tuscaloosa a four-acre site with the understanding that it was leased to the hospital association for 99 years. The site was felt to be perfect. It was far enough from the city and isolated enough to be quiet. It was on the car line, near the paved street and there was assurance that the paving would be extended. Experts in hospital construction, architects and builders and operators of hospitals were all consulted on the plans for the Druid City Hospital. Every modern improvement and convenience was given a place in the plans for the new building and duly considered by the architect, D.O. Whildin. The building required a year to construct. An article in The Tuscaloosa News and Times Gazette on March 27, 1923, describes the modern equipment provided for the hospital.
Druid City Hospital moved to the Northington Hospital campus in 1947 until a new facility opened in 1952 ,
Personal Collection of Jason Townsend
Circa 1940
Jason Townsend (Description)
Betty Slowe (Description)
Postcard
41
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson visit Northington General Hospital
Northington General Hospital
World War II
African-American--History--Tuscaloosa
Joe Louis, champion heavyweight boxer of the world, visited Northington General Hospital last week β and it was a great day for autograph collectors. Joe signed his name so many times no one could keep count. Heβs shown in Ward B-7, surrounded by admiring fans. Left to right: front row β Pvt Alphonse Nettles, Joe Louis, Pvt Sherman Clements, 1st Sgt Theodore Roach, Pvt Willie Dowdy: back row β Air Cadet Siles Craft, Pvt Henry Cummings, Pfc Amos Brown, Ray (Sugar) Robinson, who accompanied the champ, Cpl Foster McGraw, Pfc James Malone, Pfc Ralph Jackson and Pvt Charles Franklin.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
March 30, 1944
Tuscaloosa Public Library
Newspaper
46
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Northington General Hospital Administration Building
World War II
Waving proudly in the sky before the Administration Building is Northington's new T-Flag - awarded by the Treasury Department for the 100 percent participation of the hospital's Civilian Employees in the War Bond Program.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
May 18, 1944
Newspaper
52
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Wounded Soldier Sets Record Returning from England to Northington General Hospital in Three Days
Northington General Hospital
World War II
Pictured here is the U.S. Army's transport plane, C-47, which brought 14 sick and wounded overseas soldiers to Northington General Hospital on their last lap of the trip. Pvt. James Pearson of Tuscaloosa set the travel-time record, taking just three days to get from England to Tuscaloosa.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
June 23, 1944
Newspaper
53
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Metal from Salvaged Planes Used to Make Lightweight Braces at Northington General Hospital
Northington General Hospital
World War II
Splints and spinal braces made in Northington's Orthopedic Brace Shop are a third their former weight. The weight-reducing material is an aluminum alloy which replaces steel in the older and heavier brace.
From three salvaged airplane wings donated by the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the University of Alabama, a 1000-pound supply of the precious alloy has been provided to the hospital.
Pictured dismanteling the salvaged wings are CE Tom Clements in foreground (left) and Pfc. Rodolph Dow and on the upright wing Pvt. Roy Thomas (left) and Pfc. Primo Ronca.
The far-reaching effect of substituting a light-weight aluminum alloy for steel in orthopedic braces may be gauged from the statement of Maj. Gen. Norman E. Kirk, Surgeon General of the United States Army, that we may expect 60 per cent of our battle casualties to be orthopedic.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
July 21, 1944
Newspaper
59
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Tuscaloosa Red Cross "Grey Ladies" Assist Northington General Hospital Patients
Northington General Hospital
World War II
Tuscaloosa's first Red Cross Grey Ladies, a volunteer organization selected to carry out the Red Cross program of providing recreation for Northington [General Hospital] patients, this week took up their duties at the hospital. Taking the Post Library book cart from ward to ward, and assisting patients with their work in the craft and occupational therapy shops are but a few of the countless services the group has plans for. Pictured here are 47 of the 58 Grey Ladies:
Front row (left to right) - Mrs. R.W. Cowart, Mrs. H.C. Pannell, Mrs. C.M. Ayres Jr., Mrs. Dale Bowen, Mrs. L.M. Champagne, Mrs. J.R. Cudworth, Mrs. R.P. McLoed, Mrs. M.T. Maxwell, Mrs. E. J. Finnell.
Second row - Mrs. Shaler Houser, Mrs. T.J. Hill, Mrs. Ethel Bratton, Mrs. Claude Hinton, Mrs. L.H. Weatherford, Mrs. Sam Friedman, Mrs. J.W. Mustin, Mrs. Frank Fitts, Mrs. M.C. Rumley Jr.
Third Row- Mrs. Lousie Byer, Mrs. Robert Palmore, Mrs. E.N. Sherer, Mrs. Namcy O. Devers, Mrs. George Davis, Mrs. Richard Little, Mrs. Joseph Durrett, Mrs. Harold Taylor, Mrs. Robert Cleere, Mrs. Preston Fendley. Fourth Row - Mrs. Charles A. Bernier, Mrs. M.T. Jemison, Mrs. J.B, Clemmer, Mrs. Helen Craig, Mrs. C.C. Simpson, Mrs. Lewis Powell, Mrs. Frances Tierce, Mrs. E.L. Dodson, Mrs. W. B. Rowe. Back Row - Mrs. J.B. Searcy, Mrs. H.H. Yoder, Mrs. Harrison Sibley, Mrs. Bruce Shelton, Mrs. Virgil Jones, Mrs. Patton Kennedy, Mrs. Anna Cain, Mrs. Annie Overby, Mrs. W.P. Blcom.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
August 4, 1944
Newspaper
61
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Aerial view of Bryce Hospital, circa 1940
Mental health facilities
The building built for the Alabama Insane Hospital, later named Bryce Hospital, was designed by psychiatrist Thomas Kirkbride and architect Samuel Sloan, famed architect of the time. With three wings set in echelon formation, the hospital was an impressive sight. Over the years, extensions were added piecemeal. Ultimately, the hospital was said to have the longest roof line in the world, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not.
The hospital owned 177 acres along the Black Warrior River. The land behind the hospital was used for fields that the patients worked, growing vegetables that help feed the patients.
The Bryce Hospital property was sold to the University of Alabama in 2010. A new 268-bed hospital was constructed at the location of the former W.D. Partlow Developmental Center.
Read more about the history of Bryce Hospital at http://www.mh.alabama.gov/brycehospitalproject/History/BriefHistoryOfBryceHospital.pdf
Personal Collection of Jason Townsend
Circa 1930-1945
Jason Townsend (Description)
Postcard
98
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Northington General Hospital Fire Department
World War II
Fire departments
Scenes of a fireman's daily routine at Northington General Hospital are told here in a story of words and pictures. Photo No. 1 was posed especially for the News. Kneeling in the front row are: Maj. Joseph Feeley, Capt. Lucious Harrison (the Fire Department is under the jurisdiction of these Post engineers), Fire Chief Alan Rayfield, Assistant chief Henry Ryan, Floyd Strickland, William Brown, Claude Wallace, Homer Wright, Barney Rallare and Frank Foster.
Back Row: James Glover, Olin Steward, Claudie Porter, Russell Lovelady, Melvin Boteler, Frank Thomas, Charles Burns, Ray DeLoach, Woodrow Prewitt, and Lucious White. In extreme rear are Charles Parsons and Lee Martin.
Photo No. 2 shows Foster and Wright performing regular morning truck checkup and cleaning job.
Photos 3 and 4 are close parallel to GI life. Calisthenics and bed-making are part of the fireman's daily life.
In photo 5, Fire Chief Ryan gives some pointers to the Drill Class of the 4447th SCU on fire-fighting and prevention.
Photos 6,7 and 8 reveal periodical inspections made in the interest of fire prevention and keeping equipment in tiptop shape. [Photo] 6 shows the checking of dry pipe valves and air compressors, controling the sprinkler systems. Water pressure from one of the hydrants is checked in [photo] 7. In the last photo, Claude Wallace makes sure the alarm is working.
Personal Collection of Whitney Telle
Northington General Hospital News
August 18, 1944
Newspaper
102
Tuscaloosa (AL)