"The
first hospital in
Coleman (location unknown)
was owned by Dr.
Neff. The Overall Memorial Hospital was built
in 1923. The
two story building and equipment, costing $60,000,
were presented to the
city and county by Mrs. Tye Overall, wife of Colonel
R. H. Overall.
The hospital was well equipped with twenty beds and
eight charity wards.
Dr. L. P. Allison was the surgeon in charge.
After his death in 1932,
Dr. F. M. Burke became the surgeon in charge.
In 1933, a twenty foot
extension was added to the eleven additional rooms
for service and an ambulance
driveway." (A
History of Coleman County
and Its People, "Coleman Hospitals," compiled by
Vena Bob LeSueur Gates,
1985.)
Overall
Memorial Hospital
south
and east sides - about 1925
Note
dwellings at 312
West Elm Street
and 316
West Elm Street
to
the left (rear) of hospital
building.
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Overall
Memorial Hospital
south
and east sides - about 1930
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"In
1929, the Overall
Memorial Hospital was located on South Pecos
at the southwest corner
of West College Avenue (which
in 1930 is shown as
314 South Pecos Street, but by 2004 had included
the entire block, and
is now known as 310 South Pecos Street).
F. M. Burke was the
superintendant. Working here, with no
residence address given were:
Buck Foster (colored), an orderly; Lawrence Kelly
(colored), a cook; and
Miss Bettie Munger, a nurse." (Coleman City
Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.)
south
side - 1930 map
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"In 1935, a second building
was to the hospital complex, identical in
size and appearance to the first
building, was erected. The two
buildings were connected with enclosed
corridors on both floors. The new
unit included a reception room,
offices for physicians and dentists and
additional rooms for hospital
service.
This addition was made possible by a gift
from J. P. Morris in memory of
Martha Pingham Morris and Bettie Robbin
Morris, and a $45,000 Works Projects
Administration grant. In compliance
with the wishes of Mrs. Overall,
the jospital would be under the
supervision of a hospital board.
The board is composed of a representative
form each of the church denominations
of Coleman, the city council, and the
county Judge. Before 1962,
the hospital became know as the Overall -
Morris Memorial Hospital."
(A History of
Coleman County and Its People, "Coleman
Hospitals," compiled by Vena Bob LeSueur
Gates, 1985.)
After the addition of the second building,
which was located at 310
South Pecos Street, the address of the
Hospital began to use the 310
South Pecos Street address.
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