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;

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;