U. S. Marine Hospital & Gates, 800 Saint Anthony Street, Mobile

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,90-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

structures in Mobile and is a good example of the Greek Revival style. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: Frederick Bunnell; John K, Collins, Supervising architect. 3- Original and subsequent owners: The property upon which the hospital stands was purchased by the United States from Joshua Kennedy in I838 for Plans to construct the hospital were apparently initiated in I837, and there was frequent correspondence between Hogan, Collector, Mobile, and Levi Woodbury, Secretary of the Treasury, as the planning continued.

Several plans for the building were submitted by different architects from until when the final decision to build is indicated in a letter of July 16, from Hogan to Woodbury: "I have now the honor to report my proceedings on the subject of the erection of a Marine Hospital, on the excerpts of your letter adopting Mr. Barnes plan I...asked for his plan to be handed in by the of June. ..and...also appointed Jno. K. Collins, Esq. Architect to superintend. ..and paid Mr. Barnes the usual fee for his plan specifications, in a few days after I had done so, I received your letter reinclosing Mr. *' Bunnells plan with your remark that it should also be considered...as it came nearer our wants than the first. I accordingly sent for Mr.

Bunnell and proposed to h m--that if he would agree to it I would set up his plan in the office with Mr. Barnes1 and request the contractors to estimate on both..." "declared Robert Williamson's offer to be the lowest bid & entitled to the contract and the work to be performed according to Mr. Bunnell's plan for the sum of seventeen m thousand five hundred dollars". (Letter in National Archives, Washington, Letters on Marine Hospitals, Treasury Department, Set M, Incoming Letters, UNITED STATES MARINE *l H HOSPITAL ^ AVe HABS No. AIA-7&L (Page 5 The hospital opened in April of The name was changed in to the "Public Health and Marine.Service" and again in to the "United States Public Health Service". In the hospital was converted to a small out-patient clinic, and in the U.S.

government ceded the property and building to the State of Alabama for use as a tuberculosis sanitorium. h Contractor: Robert Williamson. 5. Original plan and construction: There is some information about the original plans and construction in the correspon- dence between Hogan and Lev! Woodbury, cited above. The actual plans do not appear to have survived. 6. Alterations and additions: Minor alterations and improve- ments, mainly on the interior, were made continuously during the nineteenth century.

Electric lights were installed in and the roof had to be reconstructed after the hurricane of In the firm of Warren, Knight and Davis, Birmingham, was contracted to design a MT"-shaped addition to the rear of the building, and its construction necessitated the removal of the original north portico. When the hospital was converted into a sanitorium in another renovation was carried out according to plans by William H, and Dillon K. March, architects in Mobile. In spite of the many renovations, however, the exterior of the building, particu- larly the south front, has substantially retained its original appearance, except that the open galleries behind the colonnade have been enclosed with modern windows and screens. B.

Historical Events and Persons Associated with the Building: During the Civil War, the building was used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers. In I865, the hospital was in Union hands and was returned to its original use in C. Sources of Information: 1. Old Views, Drawings and Diagrams: The following are located in the National Archives, Washington, D a. Letters on Marine Hospitals, Treasury Department, Set M, Incoming Letters. July 7, To: Lev! Woodbury From: J.B Hogan Includes two unsigned ink drawings which are plans for each story. UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL HABS No. ALA-7&L (Page 3) b. General Correspondence, Mobile Alabama Marine Hospital, RE-66. /v 1) Tray - .. a) Plot of site; ink on paper. No date or signature. b) "Profile Congress Street from Marine Hospital to River", E.

Brown & Son, New York Street Plate no. 1. c) "Cloth tracing of the hospital and surroundings", October 8, (See HABS photocopy) d) "U.S* Marine Hospital; Grounds blueprint signed by J. Goldsborough Bruffs, October 20, (See HABS photocopy) e) Ink sketches on note paper of plans for altera- tions and repairs. With letter from Julius C. Holmes to M.E. Bell, June 20, I885. 2) Tray Folder I, Folder II, a) "Preliminary plan for laundry, machinery, etc."; pencil on tissue paper. With letter dated June 28, b) "Diagram showing floor Space, and Assignment of Same, July ink on paper. (See HABS photocopy) c) Plans of proposed improvements. With letter from Mclntosh to Secretary of the Treasury, October 27, d) Diagrams; ink on paper. Signed: Hutton(?), Surgeon No date. 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,90-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

a. Primary and unpublished sources: Lewis Troost Map (c. City Hall, Mobile Mobile Deed Books, Probate Court Record Division, Mobile County National Archives, Washington, Marine Hospitals, Treasury Department, No.l, April 8, 1833-May 30, I848, Set M, Outgoing Letters. Letters on Marine Hospitals, Treasury Department, Set M, Incoming Letters. UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL HABS Ho. ALA-7S1 (Page 4) Letters on Marine Hospitals, Treasury Department, ^L^ Set M, Incoming Letters. H^-MCIM' <j h. General Correspondence, Mobile Alabama Marine Hospital, RE-66. b. Secondary and published sources: Tte-ily flommerical Register and Patriot. Mobile, No. April 4> Prepared by Linda Carroll Student Historian August 29, and Charles A. Herrington Architectural Historian National Park Service August 8, PART II.

ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This building, with a central pediment and a giant Doric colonnade on the side wings, was obviously designed to compliment the neighboring Mobile City Hospital (AIA-13), constructed approximately ten years earlier. These two hospitals and Barton Academy (ALA-32) are the only remaining monumental Greek Revival structures in Mobile 2. Condition of fabric: The building has been continuously well maintained and is in good condition. B.~ Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: This is a two story building on a high basement with unequal ceiling heights of on the ground floor, on the main floor, and ll'-lO" on the top floor.

The original section is basically a rectangle, fifteen bays in length The middle bays project slightly as a pedimented mass behind a one-story entrance portico. The width of the main block is The north wall of the center section was disturbed when the addition was made>,; but it appears that the depth through the center was apprcod.%: mately 2. Foundations: As judged from those above grade, the founda-* ' tions are brick. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: .Brick bearing walls are UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL HABS No. ALA-7&L (Page 5) approximately 2* thick, stuccoed, scored to resemble ashlar construction, and painted white. f, 4. Structural system, framing: Floors and roofs are wooden framing on brick bearing walls. 5.

Porches, stoops: The building is approached from sidewalk level on the south by two lateral flights of concrete steps to a wide central landing, thence up a broad flight of steps enclosed by stuccoed brick walls, to the granite surface of the entrance portico. Four wooden fluted Doric columns support a flat entablature, above which is a balustrade; the roof of the rectangular portico also functions as a deck. A wooden balustrade painted black closes the east and west sides of the portico. The drawings for the addition on the north indicate a similar portico on the north rear before it was removed. These drawings also indicate that smaller porches consisting of similar elements existed on the east and west facades, but these have been replaced by steel fire escapes.

Drawings submitted with this report include the porch conditions prior to the changes. On both the north and south facades, the wings flanking the central mass have giant Doric colonnades in front of two-story galleries. These were originally open, with wrought-iron railings, but they have now been enclosed and glazed, somewhat destroying the effect of the colonnade. The columns rest on square brick podia which are the height of the basement # story and support a simple flat entablature. 6. Chimneys: The chimneys were removed when the roof was reconstructed. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The main entrance door with a granite sill is set within the reveal of the masonry wall with no face trim. The door contains nine clear lights over four wooden panels.

It is flanked by side- lights with three lights over a wooden panel and there is a five-light transom over the opening. Side doors on the ground level are similar, but have no transoms. Doors leading to the galleries are modern, containing six lights, and have six-light transoms. b. Windows and shutters: Windows are all double-hung wooden sash with two-over-two or four-over-four lights. There are no shutters in place, but hinge pintles indicate that all windows were originally shuttered. There is a fanlight in the south pediment, now partially used as a vent. UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL HABS No. ALA-7S1 (Page 6) 8. Roof: HqfY>t><$i qo a. Shape, covering: There is a low gabled roof over the side wings, behind a parapet. The roof of the central gabled pavillion has a steeper pitch.

All roofs are covered with standing-seam sheet metal, painted black. b. Cornice, eaves: The continuous entablature of the wings consists of simple large-scale mouldings and a smooth frieze. Above the entablature is a stuccoed parapet. c. Dormers, cupolas, towers: There is a modern elevator penthouse near the center of the building. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The interior arrangement has been successively changed in renovations, but the basic plan consisted of rooms on either side of two perpendicular axial corridors. Only a few of the thick transverse walls are still in place. It is said that originally, all rooms had fireplaces. floorplans (see HABS photocopy) may indicate something of the original arrangement of rooms, since "new" partitions are indicated.

The plans indicate that the arrangement was basically the same on all floors, with one large room on each side of intersecting corridors in the central pavillion, and one or two rooms on each side of the corridor in the wings. 2. Stairways: The original stairway from the first to the second floor has been removed and access is now gained by a stairway in the addition. An enclosed stairway on the ground level, however, appears to be in the original location. It is enclosed, with concrete steps and an iron handrail. An elevator has been placed on the east side of the main corridor. 3. Flooring: Modern asphalt tile has been laid over the original floors. 4* Wall and ceiling finish: All walls and ceilings are painted plaster. 5. Doorways and doors: No original doors remain. 6.

Trim: No original trim remains except simple wooden moulded window frames. 7. Notable hardware: None remains. 3. Mechanical equipment: m a. Heating: Central heating has been installed* All rooms are said to have originally had fireplaces, but only one

United States Marine .. Hospital

Al' HABS No. ALA-7S1 (Page 7) remains, located in the room east of the entrance door. b. Lighting: Modern electric fixtures have been installed. It is said that the hospital was one of the first public buildings to be electrified in Mobile; the first installation occurred in D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The building and grounds occupy a full city block, the building facing south on St. Anthony Street between Jefferson and Bayou Streets. The slightly older City Hospital, also a Greek Revival building, is similarly situated in the block to the west. 2. Landscaping: The grounds are landscaped with lawns, oak and magnolia trees, azalea and crepe myrtle plants. The entire block is enclosed with a high brick wall, painted white.

On the south side, the wall is lower;and serves as the base for a cast-iron picket fence. 3. Outbuildings: In addition to the large addition which now makes the general complex "H^-shaped, there are five residential buildings to the north rear, one of which is said to be of approximately the same age as the hospital. Prepared by Woodrow . Wilkins Supervising Architect National Park Service August 17, and Charles A. Herrington Architectural Historian National Park Service August 8, PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION These records were prepared as a cooperative project during the summer of between the Historic American Buildings Survey and various agencies, organizations, and individuals of the City of Mobile. The Historic / American Buildings Survey supplied the project supervisor, Woodrow W.

Wilkins, and three draughtsmen, Carl J. Rosenburg (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Michael R. Foil (Auburn University), and Lowell K. West (Univeristy of Kentucky). One draughtsman, JElbert L. Goleman (Alabama A & M), was provided by the Mobile Housing Board, which agency administers urban renewal. The services of an additional draughtsman, James Eley, specifically designated as an architectural student from Auburn University, were made possible by contributions from numerous local architects and businessmen. The Historic Mobile Preservation Society, in agreement with the History Department of Springhill College, provided a student historian, Linda Carroll. Office space was supplied by the City of Mobile through the City Planning Commission.

Roy Thigpen, a local photographer, was contracted to supply the photographs. All local arrangements were made UNITED STATES MARINE ^Mofcf" HOSPITAL *o- HABS No. AIA-7S1 (Page 3) by the Mobile Historic Development Commission, Nancy N. Holmes, President. The project was edited during the summer of by Charles A. Herrington, Architectural Historian, in a cooperative effort between the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Mobile Historic Development Commission. l^i in o * H 2; O Q -UJ o