Walthill in Thurston County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 24, 2022
1. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital Marker
This hospital was built in 1912 under the guidance of Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native American woman physician, with the financial support of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions and other donors. It served both Native American and white people. In 1988 the Susan La Flesche Picotte Center was established here to commemorate Dr. Picotte as a model student, servant, healer, and leader. The hospital was named a National Historic Landmark in 1993.
Erected by Susan LaFlesche Picotte Center, Inc.; and Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 386.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Science & Medicine • Women. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks, and the Nebraska State Historical Society series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 42° 9.099′ N, 96° 29.696′ W. Marker is in Walthill, Nebraska, in Thurston County. It is on Matthewson Street just east of Sawyer Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located beside the walkway, directly in front
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Nebraska. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, and on the prairies. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital (approx. 0.9 miles away); Winnebago Scouts (approx. 6.6 miles away); Omaha Tribe (approx. 7½ miles away); Combs School (approx. 9.9 miles away); John G. Neihardt Center (approx. 10.6 miles away); John G. Neihardt Study (approx. 10.6 miles away); M60A3 Tank (approx. 10.6 miles away); Bancroft (approx. 10.9 miles away).
Regarding Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital. National Register of Historic Places #88002762. National Historic Landmark (04/19/1993).
Fromthe National Register nomination:Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 24, 20222. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital Marker(Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital in background)
The one-and-one-half-story frame building was constructed in 1912-13 to serve as a facility for the practice of Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte, the first Native American woman to practice medicine in the United States. The hospital's primary function was to serve Picotte's people, the Omaha Indians. Designed by Sioux City, Iowa, architect William Steele, the building is a product of the Craftsman style of architecture and features a prominent full-length recessed porch along the main faηade. Structural and historical integrity has been retained except for the addition of asbestos siding over most of the original clapboarding. Situated at the top of a hill in the northwest end of Walthill, Nebraska, and overlooking the village, the Dr. Susan Picotte Memorial Hospital was designed as a hospital facility and measures approximately 42 feet by 78 feet.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital
Also see . . .
1. Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Center.
For many years Susan had a dream of opening a hospital on the reservation(Submitted on September 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)so she wouldnt have to send her patients to Omaha or Sioux City for surgery. She envisioned wide-open spaces with lots of windows and sunlight. The hospital opened bearing her name Memorial Hospital. It contained two general wards, five private wards, a maternity ward, and an operating room. It served both natives and whites, without question. Sadly, Susans health was failing. While she was unable to work at the hospital. She was able to witness the impact it had on her community. On September 18, 1915, Susan passed away at age 49, having spent most of her too-brief life tirelessly and selflessly serving the Omaha people.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 24, 20223. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital (south elevation)
2. Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital.
Also known as Walthill Hospital or Dr. Susan Picotte Memorial Hospital, it is a former hospital building on Matthewson Street in Walthill, Nebraska, on the Omaha Indian Reservation. Built with money raised by Picotte from various sources, it was the first hospital for any Indian reservation not funded by government money. It served the community as a hospital until the 1940s, and has had a variety of other uses since. Typical of Craftsman style, it features a low-pitched, shingled roof, wide eaves with large braces beneath, exposed roof rafter tails, and a centered gabled dormer.(Submitted on September 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 521 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
