Photo courtesy of Gilroy Museum
First cost estimates were around $ 50,000 to build a hospital with 25 rooms plus a ward. The first site considered was located at Third and Church Streets where the old grammar school was about to be torn down.
Despite those early meetings and planning sessions, Gilroy didn’ t get its first public hospital until July 1929. The attractive, Mediterranean-style structure, which still stands on Fifth Street between Carmel and Princevalle Streets, was built by community subscriptions and large matching donations from well-known local seed grower, Linwood Wheeler, for whom the hospital was named.
A philanthropist, Wheeler had
A stay in one of the 24 private and purchased the A. J. Pieters Seed Company semi-private rooms, many with full of Hollister in 1910, renaming it the private baths, would cost $ 3 per day. Pieters-Wheeler Seed Company and Room features included an electric relocating the enterprise to Gilroy. nurse call button and a radio with earphones, considered innovative and the
In August 1926 a major hospital subscription drive finally went into first of their kind in the state. effect, spurred by a $ 25,000 donation Wheeler Hospital’ s grand opening from Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler. By early was held on July 27, 1929. The 1928, the rush was on.“ You might be Chamber of Commerce held a barbecue the first one to need such an institution on the hospital’ s front lawn. Speeches, a as one can never tell these days when street dance and public tours inside the they will be stricken or knocked over new building completed the festivities. by an auto,” an editorial admonished its A radio reporter came down from San readers. It took two years to amass the Jose to broadcast the commemoration. upgraded cost estimate of $ 100,000 to“ It will be the most complete hospital start construction, with William Radtke of its size in the state and will be a hired as the contractor. valuable addition to our growing city,” Various sites were considered for the local newspaper noted. the structure, meant to occupy a quiet, Wheeler Hospital served the residential part of town. An orchard community for 30 years. By the late between Fourth and Fifth Streets outside the city limits, a ranch on Bodfish The hospital’ s once private and semi-
1950s, Gilroy’ s population had tripled.
Road, a site west of the Catholic
private rooms were often forced to hold Church, and a business block at the a third bed to accommodate patient corner of Sixth and Eigleberry Streets overloads. Nurses had to work in overly were considered before the committee crowded conditions, especially when chose the new hospital’ s Fifth Street moving medical equipment about. location. By then, the pace to finish the Once again, Gilroy citizens rose to last of the funding had the community the challenge. After another community fired up to reach its goal. fund drive, a new 35-bed Wheeler
During the final two years of the Hospital, located behind the original but fund drive, in preparation for designing facing Sixth Street, was completed and the most up-to-date hospital to suit dedicated on May 5, 1962. Gilroy’ s needs, a committee of citizens Today, Gilroy’ s original 1929 Wheeler and local physicians traveled around Hospital building is listed on the the state. In all, over 25 hospitals of National Register of Historic Places. varying sizes were visited.
The quietly elegant Mediterranean
When ready, William H. Weeks, style building still sits in a peaceful architect of many of Gilroy’ s prominent neighborhood, surrounded by an buildings, was hired to design the new expansive lawn and mature shade trees. hospital. The two-winged structure, And even now, older Gilroyans still at 10,144 square feet, held major and harbor fond memories of babies born minor surgery units, an emergency and surgeries performed at the cozy room, a maternity ward and nursery, structure where, in another day and and a two-story central section with time, they were sure to run into friends offices on the main floor and nurses’ and neighbors, perhaps as close as a bed quarters upstairs. in the next room.
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