Gehring Clinic facts for kids
|
Gehring Clinic
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | At the south end of Broad Street, Bethel, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Queen Anne |
| Part of | Broad Street Historic District (ID77000078) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000105 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | August 2, 1976 |
| Designated CP | December 28, 1977 |
The Gehring Clinic is a historic house and medical building in Bethel, Maine. It is located at the south end of the Broad Street Historic District. This large home was built in 1896 for Doctor John George Gehring. It is a great example of Queen Anne style architecture in the area. The property is famous because of Dr. Gehring. He was a well-known psychotherapist who was one of the first to use hypnosis to help people with certain health challenges. Dr. Gehring opened his home as a place for people to rest. They traveled to Bethel to get his special treatment. The Gehring Clinic was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Contents
The Gehring Clinic Building
The Gehring House is a large, two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a unique, sprawling shape. The main part of the house is rectangular. Two large sections extend from the back at angles.
Outside the House
The front of the house faces north and has three main sections. The main entrance is in the middle. It has a covered porch supported by tall, round columns. The front door has narrow windows on each side. Above the door is a wide, frosted glass window shaped like a fan. The windows on the front are placed in different spots, not perfectly even. For example, on the first floor, there are two windows on the left and one on the right. On the second floor, there are rounded bay windows in the middle and on the left. A single window is on the right. A round tower-like section is attached to the northwest corner of the house. It is two stories tall and has a cone-shaped roof.
Inside the House
The two sections at the back of the house had different uses. The eastern section was for service, like a kitchen or laundry area. The western section was where Dr. Gehring had his office. This is where he met with his patients. These two sections create a lawn area in the middle. Dr. Gehring loved gardening. He carefully designed this lawn area. He also gardened in other parts of his property and along Broad Street.
Dr. Gehring's Story
Dr. John George Gehring and his wife moved to Bethel in 1887. Dr. Gehring was trained as a medical doctor. He had to stop his work as a surgeon because of a health challenge that affected his nerves.
Learning About Hypnosis
Dr. Gehring learned about the work of Dr. Frederick Gerrish. Dr. Gerrish was based at Bowdoin College. He believed that hypnosis could help with certain health issues. Dr. Gehring studied these methods with Dr. Gerrish in Portland. He even received the treatment himself and felt much better.
Opening the Clinic
After his own recovery, Dr. Gehring returned to Bethel. He began offering the same treatment from his home, which became the clinic. He and his wife welcomed patients into their home. They often housed as many as fourteen patients at a time while they received treatment. The Bethel Inn Resort was built in 1913. It was funded by some of his patients and dedicated to him. Dr. Gehring stopped practicing medicine in 1925. He passed away in 1932. The property has continued to be used as a medical facility over the years.
