Ward/Graves Hospital Building

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

1. Ward/Graves Hospital Building Marker

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From the National Register Nomination amendment prepared by Deborah Edge Adele, 10/1/1985:
The Ward Graves Hospital was originally constructed as a hospital and erected in two distinct phases during the first decade of the 20th century. The southern half of the building dates to 1900-1901 and first appeared as a two-story, square brick structure with a natural stone foundation. The exterior is embellished with a masonry stringcourse delineating its first floor and decorative brickwork on the second story elevation. This initial construction includes windows of varying sizes, headed with arched, corbeled radiating voussoirs of a darker brick. The lugsills of these windows are pink sandstone. The roof is hipped with hipped dormer windows extending from each of the roof planes.
The hospital was constructed by Dr. Levi Ward and open to the eighteen practicing physicians in Cañon City at that time. The large number

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

2. Ward/Graves Hospital Building Marker

The marker is mounted at eye level on the right side of the north/front entrance.

of doctors, for a community of its size, was related to the popularity of local treatment of tuberculosis during this period. After Dr. Ward's death, the hospital was purchased in 1904 by Dr. C.D. Graves, a Chicago physician, who also moved to the area for health reasons. Dr. Graves doubled the size of the hospital, which provides another sign of the town's prosperity at this time. The building was doubled in size by expanding it on the north side. The addition matched the original building in masonry detailing and sandstone window trim. Detailing omitted on the addition but present on the original was the second story decorative brickwork and the use of contrasting brick in the window surrounds. The quality of the construction of the enlarged structure; its masonry and wood detailing; and its modern appliances and equipment, which included a model operating room, x-ray equipment and hot air baths, is representative of the building which was occurring as part of the commercial expansion of the Cañon City downtown during the early twentieth century.
As part of the 1904 construction, several changes were made to the hospital entrances and porches. The northern wall was made the main entrance and an entry porch fronting on Macon Avenue was added. The portico was built of wood supported by square brick pillars capped with pink sandstone. The balustrade and the second story balcony

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

3. Ward/Graves Hospital Building (north/front elevation)

consisted of square balusters and distinctive sawn wood ornamentation, similar to that found on the building's original entrance on Sixth Street.
At the time of the building's construction, the hospital was considered modern and well-equipped. Its interior was utilitarian, reflective of its use as a medical facility. A stark, central corridor, leading from the main entrance runs approximately three-fourths of the length of the structure. The interior of the original main block provides more variety in the arrangement and appointment of the spaces. These rooms housed the specialized functions of the hospital, including the operating room, x-ray equipment, laboratories, kitchen, delivery room and nursery. During its operation as a hospital until its closure in 1966, many minor changes were made to the interior, most of these following World War II.
The Ward/Graves Hospital Building resembles the structures which comprise the Cañon City Commercial District in many ways. Although the styling of the hospital is similar to Foursquare, a common residential form of building in Colorado, the function has always been commercial. The size, scale and placement of the building on the lot is like that found in the commercial development of Main Street rather than that found along the residential streets nearby. The brick and stone construction of the hospital also reflects the most common

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

4. Ward/Graves Hospital Building (northwest elevation)

materials, texture and construction methods which distinguish the commercial area.
The Ward/Graves Hospital Building is significant as an early commercial building constructed as part of Cañon City's development as a regional commercial center during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Architecturally, the structure's design, scale, materials, detailing and lot arrangement are similar to other buildings which comprise the Cañon City Downtown Commercial Historic District. The building also possesses individual significance as the oldest continually operating hospital in Cañon City. Of interest is its association with the early twentieth century development of the regional health industry that was related to the climatological cure and care of lung diseases.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

5. Ward/Graves Hospital Building (northeast elevation)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2025

6. Ward/Graves Hospital Building (west elevation)

The oldest (1900-1901) portion of the building is on the far right. Note the more elaborate brickwork, and location of the original entrance and balcony. Today, the building appears to have been repurposed as residential apartments.