El Dorado County Hospitals

El Dorado Hospitals

PLACERVILLE SANATARIUM

This hospital on ColomaStreetin Placerville was probably founded between 1905 and 1910by a Dr. Mountain. He wasjoined in practice by Dr. William Reckerswho, however, left practice during World War I to serve at Letterman GeneralHospitalwherehedevelopedskillingeneralsurgery. Following the War, Dr. Reckers returned to Placerville, purchased the Placerville Sanatorium from Dr. Mountain, and established a practice in general surgery.

In 1926, Dr. AngusA. McKinnonjoinedhimin practice, andin 1936Dr. CharlesV. Soracco(fromSutterCreek)joined

Placerville Sanatorium as it appeared in 1992 on Coloma Street in Placerville. Photo by Dr. E. T. Rulison, Jr.

the group after a U.C. Hospital residency. An additional partner.Dr.EdwardShortes,was addedtothepartnershipin 1947, and several other physicians and surgeonsjoined the group before it was dissolved in 1959 when the Sanatorium was sold.

Originally a two-storyhome, the Sanatarium building had been converted to a hospital with 29 beds and 8-10 bassinetswhen itopened. Ithad arelatively modern operatingroom, laboratoryandx-rayfacilities. Therewasno elevatorhowever, andsurgerypatients goingto orfromthewards on the firstfloorto the operating room on the second floor (if theycouldn’twalk)hadtobecarriedupordownthelongflight of stairs on a stretcher. The obstetrical practice was quite active, and Dr. Soracco, who did most of the obstetrics, recalled delivering 27 patients in a one-month period.

DuringmostoftheyearsthatthePlacervilleSanatarium was in operation, Mrs. Agnes Walter, R.N. was the head nurse.Atwo-storyhousedirectlybehindtheSanatariumwas purchased to provide housing for single nurses.

EL DORADO COUNTY HOSPITAL

The El Dorado County Hospital on Spring Street in Placervillewasbuiltinthelate 1930s. Fromitsopeninguntil thelate ’50s Dr.Angus A. McKinnonheld thepostof“County Physician.” The hospital was closed in July 1972, but was reopened as a private hospital/clinic called the Motherlode

The former El Dorado County Hospital, Motherlode Medical Center and Pioneer Hospital on Spring Street in Placerville.

Medical Center, financed by Mr. Grover Rodgers of Los Angeles, with Dr. John Mathewson servingas ChiefMedical Officer. The hospital had 39 beds and, in addition to general medicine, providedbeds for ElDorado CountyMentalHealth patients. TheMotherlode Medical Center closed inFebruary 1975, but continued to operate as the Pioneer Hospital, funded by a group oflocal shareholders until October 1975.

Thebuildingsnowhouse anumberoftheCountyHealth Department offices and clinics.

MARSHALL HOSPITAL

Marshall Hospital, named after James Marshall, who discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill a few miles away from Placerville, opened on July 1,1950. Adedicated group of 10 employees worked to make the 50-bed hospital asuccess. In 1957, a small group of concerned citizens in the Placerville area formed the Marshall Hospital Corporation, makingthe facilityanonprofitcommunityhospital. Priortotheestablishmentofthenewhospital, medical serviceshadbeen available to the “Hangtown” community through the Placerville Sanatarium and later the El Dorado County Hospital. By 1993, thehospitalhadgrown to 104bedswithnearly 175 physicians on staff. The Placerville site, originally donated by Michigan-Cal Lumber Company, includes 120,000 squarefeethousingemergency, medical,surgical,maternity, administration and various services. A 7.4-acre site at the Goldorado Center in Cameron Park includes physician offices, physical therapy, lab, mammography, and radiology services as well as plans for magnetic resonance imaging.

BARTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

OnMay 17,1960, a 16-member communityboardincorporated to head a hospital campaign for South Lake Tahoe. The pledge drive resulted in $422,011, combined with HillBurtonfundsof$598,010withanother$103,000comingfrom the Max C. Fleishmann Foundation for hospital equipment. By 1962 ground was broken on the six-acre parcel of land donatedbyAlvaBartonand Faye Ledbetteronbehalfoftheir father, William “Bill” Barton.

On November 26, 1963, the Barton Memorial Hospital doors opened with 38 beds, 18 phytsicians, 5 dentists, and about 20 employees. The first year's operating expenses of $600,000werebestowed upon the hospitalfromfund-raising events sponsored by civic organizations.

Over the years, the hospital has grown to a physician staff of 56, with 12 dentists, 400 employees and 40 departments. A major expansion project adding 60,000 square feet will begin in the spring of 1993, to be completed in 1995.

Top: Marshall Hospital on Marshall Way in Placerville; Bottom: Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe.