In 1905, the medical facilities in Heilwood consisted of a modest three-room shanty. In time, this gave way to a small house and then a seven-room home (see top photo at left). Finally in 1909, the Penn Mary Coal Company spent $25,000 to build the first building in Indiana County erected solely as a public hospital - the Penn Mary Hospital.

The one-story, brick-encased building was entirely plastered on the inside and was outfitted with plain oak furniture. A very unique feature of the interior was that there were no corners - all right-angled corners were rounded off!

The hospital's furnishings were paid for through assessments by the coal company from the individual miners in their employ. The assessments began in 1905 at $.10 per month, then $.20 per month in 1906*, and finally $.40 per month in 1909. The first two assessments only covered the individual miner, but the final assessment covered not only the miner, but also his family. "Outsiders" would be charged $1 a day for ward services or $15 a week for a private room. All physician and nurse fees were extra.

The front entrance of the building opened into a large waiting room and a nurse's office. While the physician's room, nurse's office, dining room, and living room were fitted out with plain oak, the remainder of the building was furnished in sanitary steel-enameled furniture with nickel or brass fixtures.

There were two wards that could accomodate 24 patients total, and four private rooms that could accomodate eight patients.

The hospital was equipped with electricity, a modern hot water heating system, and a laundry that not only cleaned the material but also sterilized it. A well-lit operating room, etherizing room, and an X-ray machine made the facility "modern" in every aspect!

The Penn Mary Hospital continued to serve the community into the late 1930s. According to former Heilwood residents, the hospital was used as a sanatorium for children during these years. Some still recall watching children play around the building, and in the evenings they could hear these same children singing.

At the Pine Township School Board meeting held on November 21, 1940, the Board proposed that a portion of the former hospital be used as a school building. In June 1941, the School District began boarding up the windows and doors of the building, and it disappeared from Pine Township tax records that year.

On July 1, 1946, the School Board decided to advertise the sale of the unused portion of the hospital to the highest bidder. On August 5, the School Board awarded the sale to the Sgriccia Brothers of Clymer for a high bid of $825. 

All that remained of the former hospital was the right side of the building - the same portion that the School Board utilized for bus storage (see bottom photo).

Long after the hospital was gone, Heilwood continued to have a town physician. His office was located in the rear portion of the mine office building, on the second floor. From this location, the resident physicians continued to serve the town with such services as anti-smallpox vaccinations for the children (see photos at left), broken bones, and other maladies. Dr. Paul Frazer was probably the last resident physician, serving from 1950-51.

* A $.20 doctor deduction is also noted on some paystubs from that era, but it's unclear when this particular deduction went into effect.

Photo of the former hospital that was later utilized as a bus storage facility for the school district, the rest being dismantled.