A century ago, this building was one of West Seattle’s hospitals. Does your family have a photo?

Scott McMurray is on a quest. Part of his Morgan Junction building on the northwest corner of California/Fauntleroy was a hospital a century ago, and he’s looking for a photo. He’s already tried everything else you could suggest – newspapers, historic archives, libraries, even the family of the hospital’s namesake. Now he’s asking you:

As a final try, I thought I would ask the West Seattle community to see if someone could find a picture in their grandmother’s scrapbook. There was a time, around 1916 to the early 1930s, when about half the babies born in West Seattle saw the first light of day in Dr. Charles Boudwin’s hospital in Morgan Junction.

Here is the 1930s map. This building on the northwest corner of California and Fauntleroy will have its 100th anniversary in 2028. On this map, the Boudwin Hospital is listed as 6506 Fauntleroy Avenue which is roughly in the back of today’s Whisky West located at 6451 California. Today’s ZEEKS PIZZA is at 6459 California Avenue. Sometime in the late 1930s the hospital, by then a General Hospital, was torn down. Later in the mid-1940s, a warehouse to a hardware store was added to the back of today’s building. You can see the warehouse in the Google Earth picture on the right:

West side of the Boudwin Hospital.

This is a picture of a house (6510 Fauntleroy Avenue) which was located in today’s upper parking, lot 3 of the map above. On the far right of the picture, we can see the west side of the Boudwin Hospital. As I mentioned, hospitals back then were not the big institutional affairs that we have today. In the early 1900s, many “hospitals“ were just large houses with lots of rooms.

General Hospital Sign.

By the 1930s Dr Boudwin had relocated from West Seattle and his hospital became a “General Hospital,” meaning many different nurses and doctors practised there. You can see their sign above the Piggly Wiggly corner grocery store:

… I believe it is an interesting part of West Seattle history- from caring for Spanish Flu victims to pizza and whiskey. If we locate a picture of the Boudwin Hospital it will make for a more interesting story.

If you have that photo, let us know and we’ll connect you.

Sue T. November 16, 2023 (11:33 pm)

West Seattle also had a hospital in the Junction. I think it was on the southeast corner of California and Alaska.

WSB November 17, 2023 (12:08 am)

And also one at 4532 42nd SW (demolished 15 years ago today) …
- Odd son November 17, 2023 (12:13 am)
  
  I remember that one. It’s interesting to find out about the one at Fauntleroy and California! Thanks.

anonyme November 17, 2023 (5:06 am)

And now we have no hospitals at all. Pathetic for a community of this size.

Lola November 17, 2023 (8:08 am)

Dr. Kitner used to practice out of his house on 41st and Findlay from what my Grandfather had told me. We lived across the street from it when I was growing up. My best friend lived there and my Grandfather had been taken care of by Dr. Kitner in the house. I never knew there was a hospital down on Calif. and Fauntleroy. Interesting.

Volunteer November 17, 2023 (8:36 am)

I’m a volunteer at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. I’ll be at the museum today and will do some research and see what I can find.

M November 17, 2023 (2:08 pm)

I was born at West Seattle hospital in 1957. Dr. John Smith. I’m thinking in the junction. Not sure. I believe it has been demolished. Interesting to hear stories, esp from way way back about the various facilities that were here over time.

Roddy3 November 17, 2023 (6:02 pm)

I don’t have a photo, but I’ve researched the doctor, and he had a tumultuous life. He also briefly practiced in the Alaska Junction in 1923, where Arts West is now. He had a problem with alcohol, which affected his three marriages and resulted in subsequent divorces. His second wife convinced him to put all of his investments and accounts under her name, and when his first wife went after him for non-payment of alimony, his attorneys proved that he had no assets, so they made his second wife, from whom he was also divorced, make the payments. He got arrested for drunk driving and was charged with negligence after one of his patients died from peritonitis after he operated on her. He married a third time, and after they had an argument, she took poison from his doctor’s bag and attempted suicide. She survived, divorced him, and he moved to L.A., where he continued to drink while treating patients, for which he was arrested. He admitted to performing illegal (at that time) abortions, and was sentenced to San Quentin, where he died in 1945.

anon November 17, 2023 (8:20 pm)

Wow….what a story. I walk these streets and often think about the intertwined lives that lived here long before us – both the sordid and sublime. Thanks for sharing
just wondering November 18, 2023 (10:24 am)

Dr, John Bacon Boudwin is buried in the San Quentin Prison Cemetery according to Ancestry.

Flaunt-Leroy November 17, 2023 (6:50 pm)

What a cool endeavor, and I loved learning the age and history of the buildings that still exist in that space from this article. Thanks for the info and I hope you can get the photo(s) your looking for.

50's WS native November 17, 2023 (10:02 pm)

I, too, was born at West Seattle General Hospital at the Junction. It was on the second story of the building at the corner of California and Alaska. After the new WSGH was built off of Holden, the building was renovated and they removed the second story. To walk into the hospital, you walked up stairs from Alaska street. I assume (my memory is rusty on this) that the emergency entrance was on the east side off the alley.

Natalie November 18, 2023 (9:48 am)

Found this. Lots of info

https://www.historylink.org/File/8725

Millie November 18, 2023 (1:22 pm)

I, also, remember the West Seattle Hospital being on the second floor at the Alaska Junction (California and Alaska). I believe it occupied the entire second floor. Stopped at Dr. Scott’s office (small brick building that is now a dental office). A new West Seattle Hospital was built at 28th and Holden. It is now Navos (a Multicare facility).