Pennsylvania Highlands Community College - Cresson Sanatorium

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About This Collection

In 1900, there were 34 sanatoriums in the United States. By 1925 there were 536. The Cresson Sanatorium was one of the earlier sanatoriums and provides a record of life at an institution at a time of heightened health concerns and spread of tuberculosis. The Cresson Sanatorium was located in the mountain near the present-day town of Cresson in Cambria County. The "San" as it was known, was in existence from 1913 and 1964 and treated people diagnosed with tuberculosis. Some patients stayed or years, while others who died there were never reclaimed by their families and are interred in a nearby hillside. The items in this collection have been gathered from persons who were patients at the San or who had relatives who were patients there. Most materials were gathered at part of a centennial commemoration of the Cresson Sanatorium.

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Audrey Sweeney

Sweeney, Audrey, Sandy, Roger, Gordon, Mildred, Vicky, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Personal story of Audrey Sweeney when she was 12 years old at the Sanitorium

Cecil Suber

Suber, Cecil, Chuck, Hogue, Gladys, Siebolt, Gail, Sitman, Leita, Spriggs, Siebolt, Jack, Treshler, Dr., O'Leary, Dr., Ma, Shan Ho, Dr., Latta, Chuck, Suber, Gladys, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Personal story of Cecil Suber

Charles Wright

Wright, Charles, Weest, Harry W., Wright, Charles Theodore, Wright, Mrs., Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Personal story of Charles Wright when he was nine years old at the Sanitorium

Chuck Felton 1955-1956 - Day 1

Felton, Chuck, Jim, Nowicki, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Chuck Felton's first day at the Cressson Sanitorium at 17 years old

Chuck Felton - 1955-1956 - Family Visits

Felton, Chuck, Felton, Barbara, Felton, Tom, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Chuck Felton tells about the times his family would visit him at the San

Chuck Felton - 1955-1956 - Time on my hands

Felton, Chuck, Nowicki, Ron, John, Betty, Mackereth, Mary, Mackereth, Miss, Felton, Tom, Boustani, Khairi, Boustani, Dr., Jim, Spriggs, Dick, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Chuck Felton explains the daily schedule at the San and activities to pass the time.

Chuck Felton - 1955-1956 - ""Top of the World, Ma! I Finally Make Meals""

Felton, Chuck, Boustani, Dr., Tom, Wilson, Inez, Hammond, Jim, Jez, Mike, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Explains the move from the ward to smaller rooms in a Unit and being able to eat meals in the dining room.

Chuck Felton - 1955-1956 - War Analogy

Felton, Chuck, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Discusses the various ways in which patients succumbed to tuberculosis at the sanitorium

Chuck Felton - 1995-1956 - More than you ever wanted to know about Sputum!

Felton, Chuck, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Explanation of how sputum was collected and analyzed to determine condition of persons with tuberculosis

Clair Pheasant

Pheasant, Clair, Felton, Mr., Borland, Dr., Waite, Ruth, Bedois, Frank, Jonsey, Chuck, Robison, Jr., Henry Lee, Rev., Cushman, Ralph S., Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

A 21-year-old who had a positive test for tuberculosis and also empyema

Cliff Gailey Page 1

Gailey, Cliff, Gailey, William, Gailey, Rachael, Clossin, Rachel, Gailey, Helen, Eger, Justin, Gailey, Lois, Gailey, James, Gailey, Zella, Gailey, Betty, Gailey, Francis, Bud, Gailey, Catherine, Gailey, Bob, Jiggs, Gailey, Franny, Miller, Joseph H., Fine, John S., Gov, Teague, Russell E., Dr., Logan, Edward B., Dr., Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Cliff Gailey's grandparents operated the pig farm at the Sanatorium

Cliff Gailey Page 2

Gailey, Cliff, Gailey, Clifford, Gailey, William, Gailey, Rachael, Clossin, Rachael, Carnegie, Andrew, Gailey, David, Gailey, Gailey, Helen, Gailey, Jim, Jigs, Gailey, Francis, Teague, Russell, Dr., Fine, Governor, Gailey, James, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Cliff Gailey tells the story of his grandparents and the operation of the piggery at the San and how they lived and raised children there

Cliff Gailey Page 3

Gailey, Cliff, Lemon, Mary, Lemon, Samuel, Sherry, W.J., Gray, Joseph, Gailey, Rachael, Clossin, David, Clossin, Mary, Plowman, Mary, Weston, Joseph, Weston, Clyde, Gailey, James, Gailey, William, Weston, Mr., Gailey, Zella, Connacher, Zella, Gailey, Lois, Connacher, Fred R., Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Gailey family, the Sanatorium and connect to the historic Lemon House at the present-day Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Delores Kitchen

Kitchen, Delores, Chuck, Mary, Jerry, Bud, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Tells of her experience in the Children's ward at the Sanitorium when she was 9 and her brother was 5

Dolores (Dee) Lillian Edelman

Edelman, Dolores Lillian, Edleman, Dee Lillian, Edelman, Jack, Arellano, Barbara, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Barbara Arellano tells of her mother's stay at the San in the mid-1950s

Donald Meeker

Meeker, Donald, Meeker, Don, Felton, Chuck, Rosie, Frank, Ball, Samuel, Marshall, Mrs., Ma, Dr., Heeman, Cora, Rose, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Patient at the San for four months in 1960. Had an aunt who was also at the Cresson Sanitorium

Doris Jean Newell

Newell, Doris Jean, McFadden, Doris Jean, Newell, Dodie, Newell, Don, Newell, Larry, Newell, Donald, Newell, Gerald, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Story of Doris Jean Newell as told by her daughter. Story tells of being separated from her family and visits by her husband while she was at the San

Eleanor Evans

Evans, Bruce D., Evans, Eleanor, Felton, Mr., Evans, Bruce, Evans, Geoffrey, Tuberculosis - - Patients - - Pennsylvania - - Cresson - -History - - 20th Century - -reminiscences

Eleanor was one of two teachers who worked at the San. She worked there from 1958 to 1960