 | Dr. Nancy Isabelle “Belle” Drake, a native of Volant, was Ellwood City’s only female doctor in the early 1900’s. In December 1910 she leased the 13-room Crescent Avenue mansion of the late businessman and civic leader Henry S. Blatt (1845-1910) and founded Ellwood City’s first hospital. In June 1913 she married businessman Cyrus Cartwright, soon gave up her profession, moved away with her husband, and unfortunately passed away in Butler County in January 1915. |
 In March 1913 the Ellwood City Hospital Corporation was formed to oversee the hospital on Crescent Avenue and to undertake efforts to build a modern medical facility. Built on land donated by the Pittsburg Company this 25-bed hospital opened on Border Avenue in what was called Northwood Heights in August 1918. Full Size |
 An old postcard of the three-story Ellwood City Hospital located on Border Avenue, located not far from the old hospital founded by Dr. Drake on Crescent Avenue. (c1917) Full Size |
 The Pittsburg Company donated the land for this hospital in March 1916, provided the citizens of Ellwood would raise $10,000 to help finance its construction. That was taken care of but a more difficult problem was getting access to this hillside location. It took some time to build a suitable road and ground was not broken until March 1917. (c1919) |  The hospital on Border Avenue was quickly overcrowded and a large addition was built in 1928 increasing its capacity to fifty-five beds. This hospital was in use for many years until the new Ellwood City Hospital, built next to the former Mary Evans Maternity Hospital that was built back in 1944, opened on Pershing Avenue in October 1973. (c1935) |
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 The Mary Evans Maternity Hospital, built on a hill overlooking the city and on land donated by the Evans family, was formally dedicated in July 1944. It was named in honor of family matriarch Mary Evans, known to have delivered over eighty babies herself in the days before such hospitals. Full Size |
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 The new Ellwood City Hospital opened next to the Mary Evans facility (visible at bottom) off Pershing Avenue on September 29, 1974. The smaller facility was then remodeled as the Mary Evans Extended Care Center and the old hospital on Border Avenue was closed. (c1976) Full Size |
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sean #
what was the previous property that mary evans and ellwood city hospital now resides.
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