Naval Hospital Boston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naval Hospital Boston |
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| Navy | |
Boston Naval Hospital; a surgeon and others examine a patient in 1919
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| Geography | |
| Location | Chelsea, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°23′22.81″N 71°2′51.53″W / 42.3896694°N 71.0476472°W |
| Organization | |
| Hospital type | Military |
| History | |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Closed | 1974 |
The Naval Hospital Boston was a special hospital for Navy members. It was located in Chelsea, Massachusetts. This hospital closed down in 1974. This happened when the nearby Boston Navy Yard also closed.
Contents
The Chelsea Naval Hospital was finished and opened on January 7, 1836. It was built on a hill next to the Mystic River in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The hospital stood about 112 feet (34 meters) above sea level.
Building and Size
The first building was made from strong Vermont granite. It had three floors. The hospital could care for up to 100 patients at one time. In 1865, a new section was added to the west side of the building.
Why Was This Hospital Special?
The Chelsea Naval Hospital was one of the very first hospitals. Congress allowed it to be built just for Navy people. Before this, Navy members got medical care at other hospitals. These hospitals were run by the United States Department of the Treasury. They treated both Navy sailors and merchant sailors.
The hospital helped many people during important wars. These included the American Civil War, the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II.
Important Moments and People
In 1970, a special plaque was placed at the hospital. It honored Wayne Maurice Caron. He was a hospital corpsman who received the Medal of Honor.
In 1973, the hospital and its land became part of a special historic area. This area is called the Naval Hospital Boston Historic District.
Famous Patients at the Hospital
Some very famous people were treated at this hospital. One was President John Quincy Adams. He visited after he was no longer president. Another was John F. Kennedy, who later became president. He was a patient before he became president.
What Happened After It Closed?
When the hospital closed in 1974, it was the oldest Navy hospital still open in the United States. It had a large area of land, about 88 acres (35.6 hectares), along the Mystic River.
New Uses for the Old Hospital
The original hospital buildings were changed into homes. These are now called condominiums. The land around the hospital was also used for new homes. These included single-family townhouses and tall apartment buildings.
Some parts of the old hospital property are still there. These include the wall around the area and the guard shack. The pier, chapel, and nurses' quarters are also still standing. The Captain's House is also still there.
A New Park for the Community
Several acres of land along the Mystic River became a public park. This park is called Mary O'Malley Park. The Department of Conservation and Recreation now manages it.
