Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

In 1883, Jamaica village was still was serviced by the Stagecoach, which had been rolling in operation since 1837. During the administration of Pres. Chester A. Arthur, the Brooklyn bridge opened and Jamaica then became a suburb of New York City. The Long Island R.R. began construction of an elevated line to Jamaica from Flatbush, Brooklyn and Jamaica became a destination that belied the small-town village character it previously maintained. Mail delivery service was previously turned down, and the Plank road (tolled) became Fulton st which ran thru the village. Due to the bridge opening, the L.I.R.R. instituted a railroad line between Jamaica and Brooklyn, known as “The Rapid”. When it began service, the stagecoaches operating the line became obsolete and were abandoned. In a new role as a small-town suburb that was within commuting distance of Manhattan, Jamaica began to grow. The town elders made a decision to provide a medical facility (if the private sector can do it for a profit, we should do it and return the profit to the facility). They had nominated the town doctor, W.D. Wood, M.D. for Justice of the peace, but he turned them down, continuing to practice (for 50¢ per visit, later raised to 75¢) until 1903. In the late 1880’s, there was no organized movement for a Jamaica hospital, because Flushing had established, in 1884, the first hospital in Queens County, the Flushing Hospital. However, the opinion that Jamaica should have a hospital of its own was evident. A late 1887 article in the Standard said: "A large institution is not wanted, but to go longer without any place to take the sick or wounded will not be creditable".[3] The residents held a fundraiser in 1883 and collected the sum of $179.40 ($4,554.17 in 2020). This money was put aside for nine years, and was the source of funding with which the Jamaica Hospital was opened in 1891, Just east of the southeast corner of Fulton and Canal Streets (now Jamaica Avenue and 169th Street).[4]

By then the population had doubled from 2500 in 1883 to 5500, Dr. Wood practiced medicine in Jamaica until his death in 1903. Dr. Wood was not an affiliated physician at Jamaica Hospital due to, by the time that it incorporated in 1892 he was already in his seventies. His son, Philip, however, was affiliated and became the 1st Vice-President of the Medical Board. Other physicians practicing in the area at this time were Drs. C.H.Barker, Charles K. Belden, and P.P Kissam. The local paper noted that “Dr. A. F. McKay, Homeopathic Physician and Surgeon, who has recently come to reside among us, has opened an office in the Rod and Rifle building, Later known as the Jamaica Club".[5] The paper also reported that "Isaac L. Hardenbrook of this village has passed the examinations of the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York, and will receive his degree as Doctor of Medicine".[6] Dr. Hardenbrook built his new practice in Jamaica, and was a member of the 1st Medical Staff of Jamaica Hospital. The space rented on Jamaica ave was deliberately not close to the railroad station at Union Hall st, since there was concerns of 'youths and late night carousing' at the time, there were more fundraisers and in time 3 beds were installed in that first site, set back from the street in a house, where all physicians were welcomed to place patients. While the Hospital’s first home was a temporary site, the subsequent Hospital facility was permanent. At that time the founders applied to state officials in Albany for a Certificate of incorporation, which was granted to Jamaica Hospital on February 20th, 1892.

The first permanent site built for Jamaica Hospital was opened on June 18th, 1898, in a new building closer to the R.R.station at Union Hall st. It was erected on the east side of New York Avenue (Guy Brewer Blvd), a short distance north of South Street. There were difficulties in completing the construction, the new hospital building on New York Avenue opened on the 1st of May. A few days later the first patient was admitted. The building was not ready to fully receive patients, nevertheless, it opened. The pioneer Medical Staff of Jamaica Hospital consisted of eleven members- Drs. Henry A. Auger, Dr. George K. Meynen, Austin J. Blanchard, Ralph Macfarland, Philip M. Wood, Charles K. Belden, J. C. Wharton, T. J. Flynn, Samuel Hendrickson, Herbert T. Noble and Isaac L. Hardenbrook

In a few weeks the hospital would slowly come together; but due to an unexpected need caused by an influx of wounded during the Spanish-American war, by July every available space would be occupied with doughboys. Jamaica Hospital took its lions share of soldiers from thousands at Camp Hero Montauk, where men had been dying due to inadequate care, and began its mission saving all the lives with which it was entrusted.

The new Jamaica Hospital building located on Van Wyck Blvd was completed in 1924 where the first patient, Stanley Linsky, 7, was placed on August 24th. The following day the building was dedicated and Jamaica Hospital formally opened to the community.[7]

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