Original Laura Eldridge Hospital, Early 1920s

A few weeks ago I talked with a friend who is relatively new to Sugar Land. He thought the hospital on Eldridge Blvd. (now an annex of the Methodist Church) was the first hospital in Sugar Land. I said, "Au contraire, mon ami!" (We Sugar Landers are very cosmopolitan nowadays.) I told him about the first hospital on the northeast corner of Wood & Lakeview. It was built in 1923, I think. Anyway, here's a picture. (There's another good one from a different angle in "Images of America: Sugar Land.")

(Update) Jackie James sent me a note about the opening date of the old hospital. I'd always heard Jimmy Fowler was the first baby born in the hospital. (I'm pretty sure there's a picture of Miss Nema holding him up in front of the hospital to document the event.) Anyway, Jackie told me he was born in 1922, so the original Laura Eldridge Hospital must have been opened in that year.

Lakeview runs in front of the hospital. Wood Street runs on the left of the picture behind the hospital sign.