Pensacola Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pensacola Hospital
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The old Pensacola Hospital building as it looks today.
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Pensacola, Florida |
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| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | A. O. Von Herbulis (Albert Olszewski) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002373 |
| Added to NRHP | February 16, 1982 |
The Pensacola Hospital, also known as the Old Sacred Heart Hospital, is a historic building in Pensacola, Florida. It was built in 1915 and was once a very important hospital. Because of its long history, it was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1982.
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A Landmark Hospital is Born
The Pensacola Hospital opened in September 1915. It was the very first Catholic hospital in Florida. A group of religious women called the Daughters of Charity built it. They spent over $400,000, which was a huge amount of money back then. Their goal was to care for the sick and the poor.
Before this hospital was built, Pensacola only had small clinics. For serious medical problems, people had to travel all the way to New Orleans. This new hospital was a major step forward. It had the first modern surgical, X-ray, and lab facilities in Florida.
A Unique Design
The hospital was designed by an architect from Austria named A.O. Von Herbulis. He used a style called Late Gothic Revival. This style makes the building look like an old English castle. You can see this in the special arches and the stone details around the entrance.
The hospital was built to help everyone. Following the motto of the Daughters of Charity, "service to all," a whole section of the hospital was set aside for the Creole and African American people of Pensacola. This ensured they could get the hospital care they needed.
From Hospital to Modern Landmark
In 1948, the hospital's name was changed to Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola. The hospital stayed in this beautiful stone building for 50 years. In 1965, it moved to a new, larger building on Ninth Avenue to keep up with modern medicine.
After the hospital moved out, the old building was used as a private school from 1969 to 1978. Later, in 1980, a company called Tower East Group Inc. bought the building. They wanted to save this historic landmark for the future.
What is the Building Used for Today?
The company has been carefully restoring the building since 1980. They have kept its historic look, including the original oak doors and stone exterior.
Today, the old hospital is full of life again. It is home to several businesses, including a Montessori school and a popular pizza restaurant. It stands as a lasting monument to both health care and history in Pensacola.
 | John T. Biggers |
 | Thomas Blackshear |
 | Mark Bradford |
 | Beverly Buchanan |
