Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715

Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 30 August 2015 30 August 2015

This aerial image of the old Fort Bayard Medical Center courtesy of Mark Erickson

Photos in slideshow and article by Mary Alice Murphy

Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 IMG_3837.jpg Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715 Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715

Old Fort Bayard Medical Center interior photos 082715

The Beat had an opportunity to go inside the Old Fort Bayard Medical Center on Thursday afternoon. Jeb Fowler, president of Fowler Brothers Inc, the salvage subcontractor to Tatsch Construction on the demolition of the 150,000 square-foot structure, took Grant County Commission Chairman Brett Kasten and the Beat on a tour of the interior.

 

Fowler, a self-described history buff, said the old hospital once had as many as 1,800 patients in it at a time. The surgery area had 10 recovery rooms. The construction started in 1922 and was completed in 1923.

"Our job is to salvage everything possible," Fowler said. "We will take out and save original lights and plumbing fixtures and equipment items that are still functioning. Unfortunately, most of the hand-painted murals will be destroyed in the demolition. However, we have had a request to save the cafeteria mural of The Last Supper, if it's possible."

Furniture that was reusable has been claimed by entities, such as The Gospel Mission, Cliff Schools, the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society and other organizations.

Some of the wood doors are original and will be saved. Many twin bed frames still remain in the halls, although few have been claimed. The head and foot boards are mainly particle board and the mattress support is just a wire spring frame. 

As many as a dozen or more patients once stayed in the rooms, although in recent years, it was mostly two to three people to a room. Each room had a theme and a different color of paint. 

The steel will be recycled. The concrete, of which the building is primarily constructed , will be taken and crushed for road base course at a crusher in Hurley. 

 

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.