MacLachlan Sanitarium facts for kids
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Dr. Charles H. MacLachlan Sanitarium and House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6482 Pingree Rd., Elwell, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1908 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000533 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 22, 1982 |
The MacLachlan Sanitarium is a special historic building located at 6482 Pingree Road in Elwell, Michigan. It was once a hospital and also a family home. This important building was recognized as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1981. A year later, in 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a place worth preserving because of its history.
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History of the MacLachlan Sanitarium
Who was Dr. Charles H. MacLachlan?
Dr. Charles H. MacLachlan was born in 1845 in a place called Perth County, Ontario, which is in Canada. His parents were Alexander and Clamina MacLachlan. Later, he moved to Pennsylvania in the United States. There, he married Sarah E. Peters in 1871.
What was a Sanitarium?
Dr. MacLachlan believed in a special way of treating illnesses. It was called "physiological therapeutics." This method focused on helping people get better without using medicines. Instead, it used things like diet, exercise, and natural therapies. He studied this treatment method at Juttners Physiological Institute in Cincinnati.
In 1883, Dr. MacLachlan moved to Seville Township. He built a "sanitarium" there. A sanitarium was like a special hospital where people could go to get treatment for long-term illnesses. Dr. MacLachlan's sanitarium helped people with conditions like tuberculosis (a lung disease), rheumatism (joint pain), and problems with nerves and skin. It also served as a regular local hospital for the community.
Growing the Practice
Dr. MacLachlan worked hard to make his medical practice successful. Over time, more and more people came to his sanitarium for help. Because his practice grew so much, he added a much larger main section to the building in 1908. This made the sanitarium bigger and able to help more patients.
The building continued to be used as a sanitarium until Dr. MacLachlan passed away in 1920. After that, the building had many different uses. It was a boardinghouse, where people could rent rooms. It was also a bar, a restaurant, and even a place for dancing. Eventually, it became a private home.
What Does the Sanitarium Look Like?
The Charles H. MacLachlan Sanitarium is actually made up of two parts that are connected. The first part was built in 1883. It's a smaller, one-story building made of wood. The outside of this section is covered with thin, overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. It has a sloped roof called a gable roof and windows that slide up and down, known as double-hung sash windows.
The second part of the building was added in 1908. This section is much larger and has two stories. It's built from fieldstone, which are natural stones found in fields. This part of the building has a different kind of roof, called a hip roof, which slopes down on all four sides.
A wide porch, called a veranda, stretches across the front of the building. It also wraps around one corner. This veranda has strong support columns and a railing, both made from the same fieldstone as the building. The windows in this larger section have slightly curved stone frames around them, adding to the building's unique look.
