Adelaide House (Alice Springs) facts for kids
Adelaide House, also known as the Australian Inland Mission Hostel, is a special building in Alice Springs. It was the very first hospital built there, designed by a kind man named Reverend John Flynn. The hospital opened in 1926. Today, it's a museum run by volunteers, showing what life was like in early Alice Springs.
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A Hospital for the Outback
Adelaide House was the first hospital ever built in Alice Springs. It came about because of the hard work of Reverend John Flynn. He wanted to help people living in the remote parts of Central Australia.
Reverend John Flynn's Vision
Reverend John Flynn was the leader of the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) starting in 1912. He often traveled to places like Alice Springs, which were far from big cities. He saw that people in these areas needed better healthcare.
Before Adelaide House, there were no doctors in the region. People had to care for themselves when they got sick. In emergencies, they would send a telegram to a doctor in Adelaide for advice. This often meant help came too late.
Building the Hospital
Flynn started raising money for the hospital in 1918. Local people also helped form a committee to collect funds. It's interesting that Flynn thought building a hospital was more important than building a church first.
Construction began in 1920. A 70-year-old stonemason named Jack Williams, who had built the Stuart Town Gaol, took on the job. He worked mostly alone for three years because it was hard to find help. In 1923, work stopped because they ran out of money.
More money was raised, and construction started again in 1925. Flynn hired Bert and Angus McLeod from Adelaide to finish the job. Adelaide House was finally completed and opened on June 24, 1926.
A Network of Care
Adelaide House was one of 14 medical centers set up by the AIM. These centers were a big part of Flynn's plan to create a "mantle of safety" for people living in the remote outback.
Changes Over Time
In February 1934, a sad change happened. The government decided that Aboriginal people could no longer use Adelaide House. A simple hut was built for them by the Todd River, which became known as the "blacks' hospital." This hut was looked after by a white pensioner who had no medical training.
A much larger hospital opened in Alice Springs in 1939. After 1938, Adelaide House stopped being a hospital. It was still used by the AIM as a place for children whose parents were in the hospital. It also provided care for women before and after childbirth.
During World War II, the army took over Adelaide House, like many other buildings in town. It was used to house nurses from the Australian Army Nursing Service.
Keeping the Hostel Open
After Reverend John Flynn passed away in 1952, the AIM Board planned to close the hostel. Many people, including Flynn's wife, Jean Flynn, strongly disagreed. The hostel stayed open, run by volunteers, until 1961.
From 1961 to 1980, the Uniting Church used the building for different purposes. It was a home for ministers, a meeting place, and a Sunday school.
Clever Design
Reverend Flynn designed Adelaide House with a special cooling system. It had a cellar with ducts that brought cool air up to the rooms above. This unique system was based on the idea of a Coolgardie safe, which uses evaporation to keep things cool.
Adelaide House Today
In 1980, Adelaide House was recognized as an important historical building by the National Trust (Northern Territory). Today, it is a local history museum. Volunteers run the museum, and it focuses on the history of health in Central Australia.
