The First Sandpoint Hospital

by Bob Gunter

Prior to the year 1902, in Sandpoint, Idaho, you did not have to ask a physician if he or she made house calls. If you did see a doctor it usually was in your home or the home of the physician. In that time you would never hear "I want you to go to the hospital." The reason for this was that there were no hospitals in town to send you to. The little Village of Sandpoint had just received its city charter on February 7, 1901 and the medical field was getting started like so many other businesses in the area. In fact, some members of the community called upon the local druggist, with his collection of drugs, and the barber, with his sharp straight razor, for minor surgery and medical aid.

This changed in 1902 when word got around that there was a visitor in town. Doctor Nathan A. Goddard had come to Sandpoint to investigate the possibility of locating in town and building a hospital. He had come from Libby, Montana but was originally from St. Paul, Minnesota. After arriving in Sandpoint he found that he had to take an examination with the State Medical Board before he could realize his dreams of building a hospital. This he did and on August 19, 1902 he purchased a site for his new structure. It was to be located at 315 Larch Street, adjoining the Alex Piatt property and near the company houses, and was to be 24 feet by 50 feet in size. The frame building was to have two stories with the wards and operating room on the first floor and private rooms on the second floor.

The specially designed building would accommodate about 15 patients. No longer would a person have to wait for the doctor to come to them but they could go to the doctor. No longer would the kitchen table have to be cleared for surgery and a vigil kept during the night to monitor the patient's condition. Now there was a modern hospital with the latest medical equipment and people on hand to care for each individual. People agreed with the local paper, The Kootenai County Republican, when it said, "The Republican is glad to note that an enterprise of this kind is to be located here and believes that the time and conditions are opportune for such an institution." These words from the paper would lead one to assume that the Goddard Hospital was the first one in the Sandpoint area, and it was the "Sandpoint Hospital."

Dr. Goddard received some financial help in the pursuit of his dreams. The Mortgage Records of Kootenai (Bonner) County show that on August 30, 1902, Nathan A. Goddard and Edith L. Goddard, his wife, of Flathead County, Montana, borrowed $800 from the
Humbird Lumber Company. As collateral they mortgaged the land and the frame building that was to be the first hospital.

Humbird Lumber Company no doubt welcomed the new hospital so close to its operation. It would assure their workers, and other citizens, modern medical care and a place to adequately treat industrial accidents. Not only would the people have a new hospital but also Goddard offered affordable health care. He offered the citizens a new form of medical insurance. The Republican announced, "Tickets will be sold at $12 each, which will entitle the holder thereof to medicines, medical and surgical treatment and board and lodging at the hospital during the period of 12 months." If a person did not need the services offered then the money paid for the ticket would be forfeited.

The dreams and efforts of Dr. Nathan A. Goddard gave Sandpoint its first hospital. Soon other hospitals came upon the scene and more and more physicians came to the area. Today Sandpoint has a hospital in which everyone takes pride. It possesses a very necessary ingredient if true healing is to take place. That ingredient is caring and feeling for the patient and the patient's family. For that legacy we can thank the pioneers of medicine in Sandpoint for treating the whole person. Men like Dr. Goddard realized that mankind had a mind, body, and soul and treated them accordingly.

All photographs have been used with permission of the Bonner County Museum.