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HARLINGEN HOSPITAL - Harlingen's first hospital as it appears after restoration at the museum complex at air park.
First Hospital Marker
To Be Unveiled
Harlingen's first hospital, erected in
early 1923 at the Northeast corner of
"F" and Tyler Street and nearly lost to
the bull-dozer in 1978, has been pre-
served and restored to its original
appearance and will have its Texas
Historical Marker unveiled, Sunday at 3
p.m. at the Harlingen Museum complex
in Harlingen Industrial Air Park.
Two early-day Harlingen business-
women are credited with establishing
the first hospital. They were Mrs. Ida
Gilbert, who owned the "Gilbert
House", a rooming and boarding estab-
lishment on E. Van Buren, and Miss
Marie Yeager, a nurse in a Chicago
hospital. Both realized the need for a
hospital in this area to serve the sick
and injured, according to Mrs. Gilbert's
Harlingen.
Mrs. Gilbert and her husband, Louis,
purchased the hospital site in 1923 from
W.W. and Rosa Alaniz, moved in two
identical buildings, joined them to-
gether as a square U, and with Miss
Yeager's assistance started Harlingen
Hospital.
Three doctors known to have prac-
ticed regularly in this hospital were Dr.
C.W. Letzerich, Dr. A.M. Letzerich and
Dr. M.A. Davidson of Harlingen and
Dr. Webb of Mercedes, occasionally.
This hospital served the medical
needs of this area until the Valley
Baptist hospital 'was erected farther
south on "F" Street in 1926. When it
ceased to serve as a hospital, it- was
used as a rooming house, then as a
as a home for Mrs. Gilbert's daughter,
Mrs. Dorothy Glick.
Lewis Levine purchased this property
in 1978 and offered it to the city of
Harlingen through Betty Murray pro-
vided it was moved to another location.
This was arranged.
The hospital was moved to the mu-
seum complex at the old air base and
the restoration began. New foundation
and tie downs - new roof and room by
room restoration, comprising in some
instances similar flooring, ceiling and
doors from the Verser House on East
Madison.
An architect-historian from the Texas
Historical Commission of Corpus
Christi completed inspection the re-
. . b1, ,A ;lrl;nn,,, anr ldirpntMd its
restoration to comply with the require-
ments for a Texas historical marker
and medallion.
Once the hospital was restored, Betty
Murray began the task of locating
fixtures and equipment of the twenties
and thirties and a doctor's office, den-
tist office, and reception room, operat-
ing room, pharmacy, two hospital
rooms, library, burping room and two
baths.
The task is not complete .but hope-
fully more fixtures and memoralia will
be contributed to the first hospital as it
is visited and people realize the histori-
cal and educational value of preserving
and restoring the past, Mrs. Murray
said.