Barnstable County Hospital
 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (June 2016) |
| Barnstable County Hospital | |
|---|---|
 Building on the grounds of the former Barnstable County Hospital | |
 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Pocasset, Massachusetts, United States |
| Organization | |
| Funding | Public hospital |
| Type | Specialist |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | No |
| Speciality | |
| History | |
| Opened | 1918 |
| Closed | 1999 |
| Demolished | 2003 |
| Links | |
| Lists | Hospitals in Massachusetts |
Barnstable County Hospital was a public hospital located in Pocasset, Massachusetts, owned and operated by Barnstable County.[1] Opened in 1918 as a tuberculosis sanatorium, the hospital served several purposes over its existence, including hosting children's summer camp in the 1920s and 30s, being fitted with iron lungs during the polio epidemic of the 1940s, and finally being utilized as a rehabilitation and long-term care facility in the 80s and 90s.[1]
Beginning in 1995, the hospital was compelled to initiate the process of winding down its operations due to substantial financial distress within the county. The closure of the facility necessitated the county to secure a loan of $1.25 million in 1996 to cover the expenses associated with closure and debt services.[2] By 1999, the hospital had ceased all operations entirely. Subsequently, in 2003, a significant portion of the facility's buildings were demolished to accommodate the construction of a $10.9 million assisted living facility.[2][3]
Notably, the hospital was the site of the autopsy of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessette after their plane crashed off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in June 1999.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Dennehy, Kevin (July 30, 2000). "A place of healing". Cape Cod Times. Pocassett, MA. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ a b Melo, Frederick (August 29, 2002). "Pocasset hospital eyed as assisted-living site". Cape Cod Times. Pocasset, MA. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Gately, Paul (July 8, 2019). "Former Otis Hospital to be demolished". Bourne Courier. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via WickedLocal.com.
- ^ MacQuarrie, Brian (July 23, 1999). "Kennedy, Bessette ashes cast from ship". The Boston Globe. Aquinnah, MA. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Boston.com.