Minnesota State Sanatorium for Consumptives
|
Minnesota State Sanatorium for Consumptives | |
  | |
| Nearest city | Walker, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°4′14″N 94°34′18″W / 47.07056°N 94.57167°WCoordinates: 47°4′14″N 94°34′18″W / 47.07056°N 94.57167°W |
| Area | 176.2 acres (71.3 ha) |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.; et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, et al. |
| Governing body | State |
| NRHP Reference # | 01000766[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 25, 2001 |
The Minnesota State Sanatorium for Consumptives, also known as the Ah-Gwah-Ching Center, was opened in 1907 to treat tuberculosis patients. The name "Ah-Gwah-Ching" means "out-of-doors" in the Ojibwe language. The center remained a treatment center for tuberculosis until January 1, 1962. During that time, it treated nearly 14,000 patients. In 1962, it became a state nursing home known as the Ah-Gwah-Ching Nursing Home, serving geriatric patients with various mental and physical illnesses. At its peak in the 1970s, the nursing home had as many as 462 patients.[2]
By 1990, it was down to about 300 patients, and by 2003, it was down to about 150 patients. Various Minnesota governors, from Arne Carlson to Jesse Ventura, supported closing the center after 1990.[3] The center closed in 2008. Despite a reuse study, a viable use for the complex was not found, and it was demolished in 2010. Of the 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2) of buildings on the site, the only remaining structure was a small gazebo. The Cass County, Minnesota government acquired 60 acres (24 ha) of the property for redevelopment, and the remaining 50 acres (20 ha) was given to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for a wildlife management area.[4]
References
- ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
- ↑ "The Evolution of Minnesota's State-Operated Services". Minnesota Department of Human Services.
- ↑ "Ah-Gwah-Ching Center Reuse Study". Minnesota Department of Human Services, assisted by Minnesota Historical Society. July 2003. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
- ↑ Monica Lundquist (November 10, 2010). "Ah-Gwah-Ching: Land ready and waiting for a developer". Brainerd Dispatch. Retrieved 2012-12-31.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
