On June 21, 1938, firemen watch as the side of a building collapses and smoke billows from inside. The $30,000 fire on June 20-21 at the United States Cushman Indian Hospital destroyed the hospital commissary, a two and 1/2 story, wood frame building. The intense flames lit up the night for miles. The fire fight was hampered by a lack of water pressure. The Indian Hospital had its own pumping system and tank, but the tank had been almost emptied by the evening sprinkling of the grounds. Finally hoses were hooked up to city hydrants on Bay Street, sometimes blocks away. The commissary was razed, but its secluded location from other structures meant that the hospital itself was not in danger. (T. Times, 6/21/1938, p. 1)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cushman Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Hospitals--Tacoma--1930-1940;

General view of Cushman Indian Hospital showing original buildings. Pictured left to right in the front were Patient Building B, the kitchen, a dorm and the school. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Cushman Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Hospitals--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Cushman Indian Hospital near completion in March of 1943. Ground was broken for the two million dollar Cushman Indian Hospital in 1941. It was not completed until April of 1943 due to a shortage of building materials caused by World War II demands. In 1954, the hospital was closed to all but tuberculosis patients. It was closed completely in 1959 despite Northwest tribal requests to keep it open. Taken over by the state in 1961, the building was then put in use as the Cascadia Diagnostic Center until again given over to the tribe in the seventies after a contentious dispute. This building was demolished in 2003, and the Emerald Queen casino complex sits on the land where it once stood.

Tacoma Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Cushman Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Hospitals--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On July 14, 1941, an informal ground breaking ceremony was held for the new Cushman Indian Hospital. The first spade of earth was being turned by, left to right, O. F. Sunde (representing the contractor,) Jennie E. Madsen (chief of nurses,) Dr. Jesse H. Henry (Hospital superintendent) and L.P. Johnston (engineer in charge.) The two million dollar facility was scheduled to be finished in 450 days. A victim of the shortage of building materials during World War II, it was not completed until April of 1943. (T. Times 7/14/1941, pg. 14)

Cushman Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Hospitals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Madsen, Jennie; Henry, Jesse; Johnston, L.P.; Sunde, O.F.; Ground breaking ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Acceptance of charter for union employees. 25 employees of the Cascadia Juvenile Reception-Diagnostic Center, 2002 E. 28th St., watch as the new charter from the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees is displayed on April 22, 1964. It proclaims them to be a part of Local 368. Photograph ordered by the Washington Federation of State Employees, Olympia.

Charters--Tacoma; Labor unions--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Robert Hall, Kenneth Johnson, and C. M. Wienker present gifts on behalf of the Young Men's Business Club to young children at the Tacoma Indian Hospital. The Y.M.B.C. was a civics organization that performed many charitable works including supporting the Jessie Dyslin Boys Ranch. Just prior to Christmas, 1958, they traveled to the Tacoma Indian Hospital with gifts for the young patients. Many of the children came to Tacoma from out-of-state and would not be able to return home for the holidays, including Keith Pocatilla of Fort Hall, Idaho, and Thelma Jones of Poplar, Montana. Photograph ordered by the Young Men's Business Club. (TNT 12-23-58, p. 11)

Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Community service--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hall, Robert; Johnson, Kenneth; Wienker, C. M.; Pocatilla, Keith; Jones, Thelma;

Patricia Stewart, an occupational therapist at the Tacoma Indian Hospital , smiles at Bob McIntyre and Janet Sawyer as they examine a large box of flower pot decorations on December 14, 1957. The little flower pots, wrapped in tissue, were on stars fashioned from Christmas seals. The two teens were officers on the Junior Board of the Tuberculosis Association of Pierce County; McIntyre from Franklin Pierce High School was the program chairman and Sawyer, from Clover Park High School, the president. The flower cups were created by Junior Board members and were to be filled with candy and put on Christmas trays of the 216 T.B. patients. This informal photograph was taken on the grounds of the U.S. Indian Hospital. The Indian Hospital, despite Northwest Indian requests, was finally closed in 1959 due to falling T.B. levels. Photograph ordered by the T.B. Association. (TNT 12-22-57, A-11)

Tacoma Indian Hospital (Tacoma); Hospitals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Occupational therapy--Tacoma; Stewart, Patricia; McIntyre, Bob; Sawyer, Janet;