Would you like to own a piece of the Hamsher House history?

Posted by jeremy.callinan@gmail.com on August 13, 2007, 1:04 am

Would you like to own a piece of the Hamsher House history?
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The Hamsher House Collection =A9 now offering:
* Silent Auction Bids for one-of-a-kind uniquely framed views of the
Bradford Hospital School of Nursing, The Hamsher House. Highest bid
amount wins. In case of tie, blind drawing will be held from among
those ballots. Bids must be received by midnight Sept. 30, 2007.
Written bids accepted at HeartStrings Gift Shop at BRMC.
Most recently on display at The Art Exhibit during Bradford's
Summerfest and Zippo's 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend.
These five framed artworks are among the last official photography
taken in Summer 2006 by world-class photographer Craig Melvin for
BRMC. Graphic design by Mary Kelly Chesebro for BRMC and art direction
by Kimberly Maben, Director of Communications for BRMC.
Only one of each of the five pieces available framed, each depicting
onsite scenes and original verses from The School of Nursing
yearbooks.
All proceeds benefit the Bradford Hospital Foundation's McKean County
VNA & Hospice Fund.
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1=2E
What Is Dearer? , The Aesculapian 1951
Indeed, what is dearer than these scenes of architectural elegance,
honoring a legacy of time-honored history in a deep, rich chocolate
frame measuring 23" wide by 19" deep.
2=2E
Finished - But Only Beginning, The Gusher 1928
Capturing the most ornate architectural detail of banisters and
columns on this former School of Nursing residence, the muted gold
frame matches in its majesty, measuring 23 1/4" wide by 19 =BD" deep.
3=2E
Up These Stairs, The Gusher 1930
This extraordinary gold-colored frame is set apart by an unusually
striking chocolate interior mat with gold edging, measuring 23 1/4"
wide by 19 1/4" deep.
4=2E
Truth and Love, The Gusher 1926
Like love, the subtle gold flecks in the frame bring life to the truth
of this picture's beauty, measuring 18 1/4" wide by 15 =BD" deep.
5=2E
The Botanicals, The Gusher 1927
At our recent Art Exhibit, this fresh approach to the Hamsher House
grounds got rave reviews, measuring 27 1/4" wide by 15 =BD" deep and
framed within a unique interior gold leaf mat with bronze trim.
More About The Bradford Hospital (Bradford Regional Medical Center)
In 1881, a movement to build a local hospital was begun by members of
the McKean County Relief Association. The project was finally
incorporated in July of 1885, and realizing the need for supervised
medical care, an old farmhouse on Pleasant Street, located where the
Medical Arts building (old Hamsher Hall) stands, was converted into a
medical facility. Many people did not embrace the idea, however. It
was believed that if a relative had to be taken to the hospital, all
hope was lost, and many people preferred to have their loved ones die
at home. But eventually, the people of Bradford began to see the
hospital as a place of healing, not hopelessness, and the popularity
of the Bradford Hospital was assured.
The building, painted gray and made of wood, was opened for patients
on May 10, 1887. Doctors tied their horses and buggies outside as they
made their "rounds", visiting their patients. One of the first
improvements was the installation of electric lights in 1893.
In 1906, a more "modern" facility had been built, consisting of an
administration wing, men's ward, women's ward, surgical wing, and a
kitchen. A maternity wing was added in 1908, and a children's ward in
1914. The maternity wing was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1925,
but was immediately rebuilt by early 1926. Sarah Hamsher donated the
Hamsher House in 1917 in memory of her husband, Lewis, to be used as a
dormitory for the Bradford School of Nursing students, and in 1938,
the Kennedy Unit was added. But it was not enough. In 1943 there were
150 beds available, far below the amount needed for a town the size of
Bradford. In addition, the building was old fashioned, uneconomical to
operate, and not fireproof. The Bradford Hospital Building Fund was
begun in May 1943, with initial pledges of $25,000 by the families of
Joseph Bovaird, William Healey, and Otto Koch. Construction was begun
in January 1950 - pledges collected had already amounted to
$1,800,000.
After nearly 18 months of construction, the new hospital was opened
for public inspection on May 12, 1951. The new hospital boasted fire-
proof construction, modern telephone service, a paging system to call
doctors, piped oxygen to each room, 200 patient beds, an intercom
system to each patient room, a surgical recovery room, two delivery
rooms, a new born nursery, and treatment rooms on each floor. The
Women's Auxiliary themselves made most of the curtains on the windows,
saving $2500. Little known is the fact that the building itself was
sided with aluminum - making it the first such hospital in the world
built of this material. This fact gained widespread publicity in
magazines and newspapers during its construction. Although aluminum
siding increased the cost of the building, maintenance costs were
expected to be minimal compared to brick. In addition, there would be
no plaster to crack (and repair) and little or no painting to be done.
In May 1950, a quarterly magazine, the Pulse, began publication. It
promised to relate interesting facts and events that concerned the
Bradford Hospital, to help the public better understand the goals of
the hospital. It contained biographies of doctors, photographs of
nurses in action and throughout the hospital, requests for things
needed at the hospital, and short, informative articles. The Bradford
Landmark Society has issues dating to 1956.
The hospital (now known as Bradford Regional Medical Center) has
undergone even further renovation as the medical community strives to
provide the latest and most up-to-date treatments. In the fall of
2005, a five-story addition was begun. It will include a 65,000 sq.
ft. outpatient care center, an upgrade and enlargement of the
emergency department, a neurosciences center, a custom oncology unit,
major updates to the surgical services, and increased space for Upbeat
and cardiac rehab/cardiology services. What changes our hospital has
undergone in the past 125 years!
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