The District of Columbia General Hospital was a hospital located in Washington, D.C. It was operational from 1806 to its controversial closing by mayor Anthony A. Williams in 2001, as the city was trying to cut costs while recovering from bankruptcy. At the time of its closure, it was the only public hospital located within the District.
District of Columbia General Hospital
Geography
Location
1900 Massachusetts Ave. SE, Washington, D.C., United States
The hospital was founded as the Washington Infirmary in 1806, using a $2,000 grant from Congress, and was located at 6th and M Street NW.[1] Originally located in Judiciary Square it moved to 19th and Massachusetts, SE in 1846. At the turn of the century, efforts to open a new public hospital at 14th and Upshur were opposed by residents.[2] The final hospital site was first developed in the 1840s as a consolidated hospital, poorhouse and workhouse complex known as the Washington Asylum Hospital.[1] It was renamed Gallinger Municipal Hospital in 1922, after U.S. Senator Jacob Harold Gallinger.[1]
Washington City Paper described the hospital in 1994 as a "city poorhouse" that "provided de facto universal health care to the residents of the District... typically, only people with no alternative."[1]
Post-closureedit
Shortly after its closure, the facility was used as a homeless shelter, with a capacity of around 270 families.[3]
In 2014, 8-year old Relisha Rudd went missing after her family was staying in the facility. In the days before her disappearance she was seen with a janitor from the facility who killed his wife and a few days after, himself.[4] Rudd has not been found as of July 2021.[5]
In 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a plan to replace the D.C. General shelter with six smaller facilities located around the city while transitioning families to subsidized housing. D.C. General was officially closed by Mayor Bowser on October 30, 2018.[6]
Reservation 13, the area encompassing the hospital site, was offered as part of Washington's bid to host Amazon HQ2.[7]
External linksedit
National Institutes of Health website on the hospital
Referencesedit
^ abcdGifford, Bill (December 9, 1994). "The Curse of D.C. General". Washington City Paper. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
^Fenston, Jacob (November 5, 2014). "From Public Hospital To Homeless Shelter: The Long History Of D.C. General". WAMU.
^Austermuhle, Martin (July 10, 2018). "What's Happening With Mayor Bowser's Plan To Close The D.C. General Homeless Shelter?". WAMU. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
^"Timeline: Disappearance of Relisha Rudd". The Washington Post. October 31, 2015. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
^Washington Post Editorial Board (July 28, 2018). "Opinion | When a shelter fails homeless people this badly, destroy it". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
^Nirappil, Fenit (October 30, 2018). "D.C. General, the city's troubled megashelter for homeless families, finally closes". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
^Neibauer, Michael (January 23, 2018). "No link between imminent D.C. shelter closure and Amazon's HQ2, city official says". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
April 12, 2024
district, columbia, general, hospital, also, gallinger, municipal, hospital, psychopathic, ward, hospital, located, washington, operational, from, 1806, controversial, closing, mayor, anthony, williams, 2001, city, trying, costs, while, recovering, from, bankr. See also Gallinger Municipal Hospital Psychopathic Ward The District of Columbia General Hospital was a hospital located in Washington D C It was operational from 1806 to its controversial closing by mayor Anthony A Williams in 2001 as the city was trying to cut costs while recovering from bankruptcy At the time of its closure it was the only public hospital located within the District District of Columbia General HospitalGeographyLocation1900 Massachusetts Ave SE Washington D C United StatesCoordinates38 53 7 70 N 76 58 27 96 W 38 8854722 N 76 9744333 W 38 8854722 76 9744333 1806 DC General Hospital OrganizationTypePublic hospitalHistoryOpened1806Closed2001LinksListsHospitals in Washington D C Contents 1 History 2 Post closure 3 External links 4 ReferencesHistory editThe hospital was founded as the Washington Infirmary in 1806 using a 2 000 grant from Congress and was located at 6th and M Street NW 1 Originally located in Judiciary Square it moved to 19th and Massachusetts SE in 1846 At the turn of the century efforts to open a new public hospital at 14th and Upshur were opposed by residents 2 The final hospital site was first developed in the 1840s as a consolidated hospital poorhouse and workhouse complex known as the Washington Asylum Hospital 1 It was renamed Gallinger Municipal Hospital in 1922 after U S Senator Jacob Harold Gallinger 1 Washington City Paper described the hospital in 1994 as a city poorhouse that provided de facto universal health care to the residents of the District typically only people with no alternative 1 Post closure editShortly after its closure the facility was used as a homeless shelter with a capacity of around 270 families 3 In 2014 8 year old Relisha Rudd went missing after her family was staying in the facility In the days before her disappearance she was seen with a janitor from the facility who killed his wife and a few days after himself 4 Rudd has not been found as of July 2021 5 In 2016 Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a plan to replace the D C General shelter with six smaller facilities located around the city while transitioning families to subsidized housing D C General was officially closed by Mayor Bowser on October 30 2018 6 Reservation 13 the area encompassing the hospital site was offered as part of Washington s bid to host Amazon HQ2 7 External links editNational Institutes of Health website on the hospitalReferences edit a b c d Gifford Bill December 9 1994 The Curse of D C General Washington City Paper Retrieved August 17 2018 Fenston Jacob November 5 2014 From Public Hospital To Homeless Shelter The Long History Of D C General WAMU Austermuhle Martin July 10 2018 What s Happening With Mayor Bowser s Plan To Close The D C General Homeless Shelter WAMU Retrieved August 17 2018 Timeline Disappearance of Relisha Rudd The Washington Post October 31 2015 Archived from the original on June 16 2020 Retrieved March 19 2016 Washington Post Editorial Board July 28 2018 Opinion When a shelter fails homeless people this badly destroy it The Washington Post Retrieved August 17 2018 Nirappil Fenit October 30 2018 D C General the city s troubled megashelter for homeless families finally closes The Washington Post Retrieved October 31 2018 Neibauer Michael January 23 2018 No link between imminent D C shelter closure and Amazon s HQ2 city official says Washington Business Journal Retrieved August 17 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title District of Columbia General Hospital amp oldid 1208959229, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
