Modern Woodmen Sanatorium

Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen of America
Birdseye View of Modern Woodmen of America Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium is located in the United States
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Location of the former Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium is located in Colorado
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium (Colorado)
Geography
Location7665 Assisi Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80919[1]
Coordinates38°56′50″N 104°52′29″W / 38.94720°N 104.87480°W / 38.94720; -104.87480
Organisation
TypeSpecialist
Services
Beds200–245
SpecialityTuberculosis sanatorium
History
OpenedDecember 17, 1908
ClosedApril 25, 1947
Demolished1994

The Modern Woodmen Sanatorium (or Modern Woodmen of America Sanatorium) was a sanatorium in northwestern Colorado Springs, that was operated by the Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal benefit society. It operated from 1909 to 1947. It treated about 12,000 patients during the years of its operation, and cured more than 60 percent of them.[1][2] In the first half of the 20th century, it was the largest of the 17 sanatoria in the Pikes Peak region that cared for sufferers of tuberculosis.[1]

Pre-establishment

Site selection

Review of locations

Charles W. Hawes in his Civil War uniform (c. 1860s). Later known as Major Hawes, he served as the Head Clerk of the Modern Woodmen of America and was a member of the executive council that selected the Colorado Springs site in 1907.

In 1907, Adolphus R. Talbot, Major Charles W. Hawes, Frank O. Van Galder, Edward E. Murphy, and Rezin R. Bort—all representing the Modern Woodmen of America—began reviewing numerous locations around the Western United States to look for a site for the proposed facility.[3]: 122  They were in search of a location that had dry air, mild temperatures, and a climate suitable enough for living in the open year-round.[4]: 6  In July 1907, the Salvation Army offered its sanatorium in the former settlement of Amity, Colorado, but the proposal was not accepted.[3]: 122  The Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce made land offers to convince the executive council of the Modern Woodmen of America to build the facility in Colorado Springs.[4]: 6 

Selection of the Ambler Ranch

In October 1907, they selected to build the sanatorium on a 1,000 to 1,380-acre property in northwestern Colorado Springs.[1][5][4]: 6 [3]: 122  The property was known as the 'Ambler Ranch'.[5][6][4]: 6 [3]: 122  In December 1907, the executive council of the Modern Woodmen of America paid $15,000 to purchase the ranch.[4]: 6 

Construction

Construction planning

A few days later after the ranch was purchased, an appeal to the members of the executive council was issued, asking 10 cents per capita to start construction.[4]: 6 [3]: 122  In June 1908, a national convention of the Modern Woodmen of America called the "Peoria Head Camp" was held in Peoria, Illinois.[3]: 124–125  During the meeting, a construction plan for the tuberculosis sanatorium was adopted.[3]: 124–125  Dr. John E. White, the president of the former Nordrach Ranch Sanitarium, was appointed as the Superintendent and Medical Director of the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium, and he instructed to immediately proceed the construction of the sanatorium.[3]: 126  Preliminaries to building operations begun early in July 1908, following approved detail plans.[3]: 126 

Start of construction

Food workers stand in a kitchen at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium. (c. 1914)

Construction started, and the first sixty-tent cottages, a permanent utility building, kitchen, dining, and store rooms were ready to begin receiving patients.[3]: 126 

Continued construction

On December 17, 1908, the sanatorium opened,[4]: 6  but construction continued, with more tent-cottages, and buildings such as a second utility building were built.[3]: 126  Construction finally stopped when there were about 200 to 245 tent-cottages, an administration building, hospital, auditorium, housing for staff members, laundry, a dairy farm, power plant, train station, reservoir, orchard, and post office.[1][7] The sanatorium cost $1.5 million to construct.[4]: 6 

Gardiner tent-cottages

Drawing for Gardiner tent-cottages built at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium. (c. 1909)
Dr. Charles Fox Gardiner (c. 1901) designed the tent cottages or "TB tents" at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium.

The tent-cottages at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium were designed by Dr. Charles Fox Gardiner.[2][8][9]: 6  They were inspired by Ute tepees.[9][4]: 6 [10]: 211–212  The tent-cottages were made of either wood or canvas.[8][9][10]: 212  Their floors were circular.[10]: 212  They were heated with steam, and included a bed, closet, chairs, washstand, and electric lights.[8][10] The tent-cottages were octogonal, and painted red, white, and green to match the colors of the Modern Woodmen of America.[4]: 6  They were open at the top, and had inlets for fresh air at the base.[9][8][10] Each tent-cottage hosted one patient, and the purpose of them was to keep patients isolated, and from spreading tuberculosis.[8]

Opening

On December 17, 1908, the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium opened. Eric Lund, from Alexandria, Minnesota was the sanatoriums' first patient.[4]: 6 

Treatment methods

Patients at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium partaking in Heliotherapy. (c. 1927)

Open-air treatment

At the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium, patients had to partake in multiple methods for treatment of tuberculosis.[9] The treatment was free, but personal needs such as laundry, hostage, and barbering had a cost.[4]: 7  For maximized access to fresh air, patients had to sit outside in steamer chairs six to eight hours a day for possibly weeks, months, or years.[9] The temperatures, and pulse rates of patients were frequently monitored.[9] The fresh air was cold at times, so patients were advised to bring warm clothing, such as a heavy overcoat, a cap with ear flaps, and mittens or gloves.[4]: 7 

Heliotherapy

Patients at the sanatorium also partook in heliotherapy. They were instructed to lounge in the sun for long periods of time in order to "kill the tuberculosis".[9][8]

Diet

Patients at the sanatorium had to eat rare meat, raw eggs, milk, and rye bread three times a day in order to boost their immune system.[8] If they had suffered significant weight loss from tuberculosis, then this high-protein diet[7] would help them fatten up.[8]

Closing

Streptomycin is used as an antibiotic medication to treat numerous diseases, including tuberculosis. It was proven to be more effective at curing tuberculosis than sanatoriums.

On April 25, 1947, physicians at the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium discharged the last nine patients.[4]: 9  Biochemical discoveries during World War II led to new antibiotics and drugs being created.[1][4]: 9  Antibiotics such as streptomycin could cure tuberculosis, and it was proven to be more effective than sanatoriums.[4]: 9  This put sanatoria such as the Modern Woodmen Sanatorium out of business.[4]: 9  The Modern Woodmen of America put the property up for sale.[4]: 9 

Subsequent use

Purchase by Blevins Davis

Three years after the sanatorium closed, millionaire Blevins Davis purchased the property for $1.5 million.[7][4]: 10  He had no immediate plans what to do with the facility, but he hoped that "whatever it became would be a positive addition to the community".[4]: 10  He sold the tent-cottages as low as $25 for each one, and some of them became backyard sheds and playhouses.[11][4]: 10  One of them came to the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum, where it now is an exhibit.[4]: 10  Blevins Davis sold the property to the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in 1954.[1][12][4]: 10 

Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration

After the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration claimed the property of the sanatorium in 1954, they renamed the site 'Mount St. Francis', and turned it into a retreat, conference, and nursing center, which are currently used.[12][1][4]: 10  The site was also turned into the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in 1987.[12]

Fires and incidents

1994 arson

In 1994, four teenagers burned the sanatorium's dairy farm complex in an arson, which left ruins that were bulldozed.[7] Condominiums took their place.[7]

Waldo Canyon fire

Brad Mabery, right, cuts a tree with his chainsaw with the help of Marissa Halbeisen while cutting and clearing a fire line in the Mount St. Francis area of Colorado Springs (c. June 28, 2012)

On June 26, 2012, because of the Waldo Canyon Fire, the Colorado Springs Police Department assigned five police officers to assist 17 American Medical Response ambulances to evacuate 104 patients from the Mount St. Francis Nursing Center.[13][14]: 28  Two Colorado Springs Fire Department trucks also assisted.[14]: 28  A charred field was found on the west side of the property of Mount St. Francis.[15] A day later, a flame front that blew through the Peregrine neighborhood near Blodgett Peak was pushed by a thunderstorm into a residential area west of the Mount St. Francis Nursing Center.[14]: 36  It was quickly contained by the Colorado Springs Fire Department, mutual-aid fire departments, and the United States Forest Service strike team.[14]: 36  Several homes were affected by the firestorm, but it was extinguished by the crews there after it passed.[14]: 36 

Roads

Woodmen Road

Woodmen Road is a major east-west corridor in Colorado Springs.[16] It is named after the former Modern Woodmen Sanatorium.[17][18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Modern Woodmen of America Sanatorium Collection (MSS 0571)". PPLD Digital Collections. Pikes Peak Library District. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Vail, Nathan (July 15, 2012). "A healing past: Tuberculosis sanitoriums were Springs' 1st major economic driver". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Buffum, Este Erwood (1927). Modern Woodmen of America: A History : Story of the Society from Its Inception in 1883 to and Including 1926. Modern Woodmen Press. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "On a Cough and a Prayer: The Tuberculosis Epidemic in Colorado Springs" (PDF). Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Medical News". The British Medical Journal. 1 (2455). The British Medical Journal: 160. January 18, 1908. ISSN 0007-1447. JSTOR 25276238. Retrieved April 19, 2026 – via JSTOR.
  6. ↑ "MODERN WOODMEN BUY BIG RANCH". The Glenwood Post. Vol. 17, no. 7. October 26, 1907. p. 3. Retrieved April 24, 2026 – via coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Pfeil, Blake (January 27, 2023). "All-American Ruins | History Colorado". History Colorado. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Harris, Michelle (May 5, 2020). "The Tiny Tuberculosis Huts of Colorado Springs". Mental Floss. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Witherow, Leah Davis. "Treatments & Fads". Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Gardiner, Charles Fox (1902). "The Sanatory Tent and Its Use in the Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis" (PDF). Transactions of the American Climatological Association. 18. ISSN 1059-8685. OCLC 775151651. PMC 2262541. PMID 21408333. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum | Story of Us". www.cspmstoryofus.com. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 "History of Mount Saint Francis". Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  13. ↑ Nussbaum, Melissa Musick (July 3, 2012). "Colorado wildfire displaces women religious but finds them support, sisterhood". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Waldo Canyon Fire Final After Action Report" (PDF). City of Colorado Springs. April 3, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  15. ↑ St. Louis-Sanchez, Maria (July 2, 2012). "WALDO CANYON FIRE: Mount St. Francis mostly untouched". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  16. ↑ Sagastume, Elmer (August 7, 2025). "Colorado Springs to begin major repairs on Woodmen Road and Academy bridge". KKTV. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Colorado Springs Street Names, What do they mean?". Colorado Springs Real Estate & Homes for Sale. October 13, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  18. ↑ "How Woodmen Road got its name - The New Falcon Herald". The New Falcon Herald. September 20, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
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