Early Buildings of Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut

This video focuses on the buildings of Saint Francis Hospital that were built before the early 1970s, some of which survive and some of which are lost. These include the old Chinese Education Mission and Saint Thomas Seminary buildings on Collins Street that were later demolished. I also talk about the former National Fire Insurance Company Building on Farmington Avenue that the hospital acquired in the 1970s and the historic Collins and Dunham Houses once stood there. I end by briefly mentioning the hospital's more recent buildings, including the parking garage currently under construction.
This video is in memory of Gary Alan Sterner (1938-2023).
#hartford #hartfordct #catholic #hospital #hospitals #connecticut #lostbuildings #historywithdansterner
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My Books (These are links to Amazon and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):
A Guide to Historic Hartford, Connecticut: amzn.to/4bNbiAR
Vanished Downtown Hartford: amzn.to/3IhK7Ao
Some of the images in this video are from the collections of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, including:
Saint Francis Hospital and Bishops residence, Collins Street and Woodland Street, Hartford
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 1982.37.41
Dillon Memorial Building, Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 2012.563.638
Bowen School for Boys
emuseum.chs.org...
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 2010.104.6
Saint Francis Hospital & Hartford postcards
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 2011.483.1-.2
Atwood Collins
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 2011.63.141
Emily Collins Scranton, Atwood Collins, and Elinor Collins Mitchell
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 2011.63.19
Atwood Collins house, 1010 Asylum Avenue, Hartford
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 1956.84.3
Atwood Collins barn, 1010 Asylum Avenue, Hartford
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 1956.84.4
Atwood Collins house in winter, 1010 Asylum Avenue, Hartford
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 1977.82.35
Rhododendron bushes in front of the Atwood Collins house, Asylum Avenue, Hartford
hdl.handle.net/...
Accession number 1997.82.37
Dunham House, 1030 Asylum Avenue, Hartford
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 2011.63.148
House for Alice E. Dunham, 111 Terry Road, Hartford
emuseum.chs.org...
Accession number 1976.18.269.4

[@Mike-tp1mr]

The National Fire Insurance Co moved to 30 Trinity Street in Hartford in the mid 1960s after they had merged with Continental Casualty Co out of Chicago to form the present day CNA Insurance Company. Sometime in the late 1970s CNA moved to the Exchange building in Farmington. I started working for CNA in 1985 and there were still a handful of former National Fire employees who had worked at 1000 Asylum Street all near retirement age. They all had fond memories and described how ornate their old office used to be in the 1940s. Thanks for all the great work you have put into your videos.

[@1011morton]

Once again, Dan does another amazing, well researched and professionally put together video on Hartford,CT history.

[@Brendadavidsonfree]

Thanks Dan. I was born at St Francis in Feb 1956.

[@porthole12]

Enjoyed the history. My father arrived at the age of 17 from Ireland and immediately went to work at St Francis.. he then transferred to St Thomas Seminary and made the move to the new location on Bloomfield Avenue, where he was the Chief Engineer for the next 40 odd years! I grew up living in a house the Seminary provided us. Brought back many memories. My brothers and I were born there beginning in 1937. My aunt kept a diary from 1921 on and recorded being hospitalized there often. I recall one occasion she mentioned that in the early days if you wanted a nurse while in the hospital, you had to hire a private duty nurse to attend to you while hospitalized and relatives brought in your meals.

[@gregdolecki8530]

Thanks!

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thank you so much!!!

[@dreuxscorner]

Great video! I’m a former employee 2012-2023 and got to know the buildings very well. My office was on the top floor of the gengras building where the thofne leadership sits today and I can still smell that smell of mahogany, copper and granite! There were so many great stories from the past that I can’t even begin to describe in a comment! Thanks so much for posting!

[@Hadd13]

wow very interesting

[@Rebelution7]

Very interesting video I was born there 1980 back when the ER was on the corner of Woodland and Colins

[@junkandthangs]

Dan you’re the man

[@arbrimmer3813]

Thanks Dan I was born there in1961

[@billvolovski2440]

Born there in 1957. Luckily didn't need any of their other services for the next 60 years.

[@junkandthangs]

Personal Secret, I never been in St Francis Hospital in all of my 55 years in Hartford. It’s either Mt Sinai (where I was born) or H&H

[@scottnyc6572]

It seems wherever hospitals are they end up swallowing up the entire neighborhood.The residents were worried about something early on for a reason.

[@historywithdansterner263]

It took about 75 or more years but it eventually took over a large area! The insurance company also contributed. In other videos I show how companies like Travelers gradually swallowed up huge blocks as well.

[@junkandthangs]

I did Hartford Hospital but not as good as you would 😂