Washington County Hospital
| Washington County Hospital | |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1921 |
| Current Status | Preserved |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Location | Barre, VT |
| Alternate Names |
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History
The Washington County Sanatorium was opened in 1921 on Beckley Hill Road in Barre. "The purpose of the [Washington County] sanitarium (sic) was the detection and treatment of tuberculosis, a pulmonary disease which during those years was a constant and common threat to stonecutters and their families" (Elizabeth Ramon Bacon, Santander to Barre: Life in a Spanish Family in Vermont). It is true that a large number of Barre's stonecutters (as well as many family & community members) contracted tuberculosis, and people blamed both unsanitary and strenuous work conditions in the sheds, and unsanitary conditions of the worker's homes. Many tuberculosis patients where admitted to the sanatorium. Sadly most including Raymond Martin, didn't make it out alive. He died there on 30 Mar 1944 after a 246 day stay. He is buried in Williamstown Cemetery next to his wife, Hannah, who died on 13 Feb 1989. She never remarried, and the two never had any children.
In 1968, the Sanatorium was converted into the Carmette Monastery, which it remained for 29 years until being sold to Washington County Mental Health. "This fall, the Barre community sold its 60-year-old brick building, a former sanitarium for quarry workers suffering from silicosis, to Washington County Mental Health" (The Galveston Daily News, 6 Dec 1997). Today it is home to Washington County Mental Health's Children, Youth and Family Services. [1]
