Thursday, January 10, 2008

Longwood Hospital - I Found You!

The old Longwood Hospital, January, 2008


I was born at the Longwood Hospital on South Huntington avenue, so part of my interest in the institutions of the area is personal. I knew that the Longwood had closed, but I didn't know exactly when, and I didn't know what happened to the property. A little more refined searching has given me an answer. Apparently, the Longwood was the renamed Vincent hospital, already discussed here. I was led to this knowledge by the minutes of a meeting of the Jamaica Pond Association shown here.

The new facility , under constructing as shown above, will host a home for cancer patients who come to Boston for treatment, under the auspices of the American Cancer Society.

Isn't the internet cool? Now I know, once more, exactly where I was born. Can you say you were actually born in JP?

93 comments:

  1. I was born in Longwood hospital in 1968. I wish I could find a nice, old picture of the place.

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    1. Also born there...........November 1950

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    2. Me too! Feb 3, 1953

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    3. I was a nurse aid at Longwood Hospital in 1969-1970.

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    4. I was born at the Longwood Hospital in 1950.

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    5. Me too! Jan 14, 1956

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  2. No doubt someone has a good photo - we just need to find it.

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  3. Born in Longwood also, 1968

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    1. I was born at the Longwood Hospital in 1953. I always use to look for it when I was a little girl from the Jamaica way.

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    2. I was born at Longwood Hospital June 6,1968.

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    3. I was born there too in 1961

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  4. I was one of the last babies born here in 1970.

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  5. Good to see more Longwood alumni!

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  6. 1958:-) I believe they wouldn't let my Dad and Mom take me home till my Dad paid the rest of the 'deposit":-)))))))))))))) He never let me forget that:-)))

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  7. Born there in November 1971. I think this was the reason why I'm a transit fan - the trolleys were right across the street from the Longwood. For the longest time I thought I was born in Roxbury, but as it now turns out, I was actually born in JP!

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    1. Until I wasv7 years old,I lived at the bottom of the hill on Huntington Ave just around the corner from where it transitions into S Huntington. I was always told it was Roxbury. My grandmother worked managing the linen room at the Longwood Hospital until her late seventies when she retired.

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  8. I waiting on a call-back from my mom, but I am pretty sure I was born there in 1959.

    Lived on Hyde Park Ave and Walkhill St as a child.

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  9. I was also born in Longwood in 1955 and lived on Hyde Park Ave.

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  10. Let's keep hearing from Longwood babies!

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  11. I just found out I was born there too in 1960.

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  12. my name is kevin f callahan i was born at longwood hospital on jan 2nd 1964 the 8th of 9 children born to teresa and john callahan i resided in jp on seaverns avenue till 1986 god bless you for this post my email is johnny777@hushmail.com

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  13. My story is not a happy one. I lost a baby at Longwood Hospital in 1964. At the time, they would not tell me the gender, and I was not allowed to see the child. Does anyone know where the old records might be stored, if they exist at all? After all these years, I need to know. Thank you in advance for your help.

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    1. You can contact the Dept of Health and Human Svcs for the state. They keep all those records, so sorry for you loss. I will say a prayer for you and your angel.

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    2. sorry for your your loss. I hope you find what or maybe (with my fingers crossed) who your looking for.

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  14. I was born at Longwood Hospital on 8/21/58 baby boy.I am looking for birth family I was adopted through Boston Children's Service Association at 3 months old,there is a possibility that my mother's last name was Lishman??????????
    Allan/Philip

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    1. Hi my name is also Allan/Phil and I'm pretty sure my birth name is lishman and I also was born 8/21/58 are you my twin?

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    2. Wow. Did you 2 ever meet up? That would be so cool. You should try again. I was born there 1/5/65.

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  15. I was born a frank breech at Longwood hospital in 1969 then transferred to Boston Floating, as I was in danger of death.

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  16. Was born longwoodhospitaljamaciaplainmass 1954lived on Malta st mattapan .

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    1. me too! June 1954. My folks, I believe, lived in Dorchester at the time.

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  17. Born at Longwood Hospital November 1950.

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  18. Born there in 1951.

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  19. does anyone know what happened to the medical records from the Longwood Hospital. I had 3 children born there and an operation for gallbladder. My last dealing with this hospital was in 1974 and I would love to recover the records. Thank you for any information you may be able to provide.

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    1. I was jsut told recently by a research physician in Boston that although all medical records do not live forever at the state. Pathology slides and records do. You can contact the Dept of Health & Human Svcs and give as much info as you can and they will try to retrieve it.

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  20. I believe the state has the records of closed hospitals.

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  21. Thank You, Mark B. I tried looking under Mass. Health and Hospitals, but couldn't see a site to go to, I will continue to search and probably have to resort to using snail mail or phone.

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  22. I was born at Longwood Hospital in 1955. My mom recently told me that I might have been a twin. She remembers the nurse saying "oh its twins" and then the nurse took something wrapped out of the room. She remembers the door shutting. Back then you didn't know the gender or if you were having multiple births.I don't know where to start but I'm going to check this out. Any ideas?

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  23. I was back in Boston visiting family just last week trying to find hospital my daughter (who has recently passed away) was born at in January 1967. Glad to come across this website. Answers some questions for me. Also brings back a lot of memories. I can show this picture to my 25 yr old grand-daughter as to where her mother was born. Thanks to whoever started this.

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  24. I was born in Longwood on November 1964. I weighed 11 lb 3 oz.

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  25. I am trying to locate neville campbell from maypen not sure where in the us he is living

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  26. Was born 6/3/1970 @ longwood. Does anyone know if they were a research hospital then? I only ask because I heard that they had chicken pox vaccination and I never had them...

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    1. No, it was not a research facility just a small private general hospital, no emergency room. I do not recall chicken pox vaccine being viable until the 90's.

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  27. MY SON WAS BORN IN LOGWOOD HOSPITAL JUNE 1948 AND MY DAUGHTR 1952-WAS A VERY NICE HOSPITAL-GLORIA

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  28. Feb 21 1959
    Longwood Hospital

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  29. Born at the Longwood Hospital 1960. Almost born at the Home for Little Wanderers next door. Aunt brought my mother to the wrong place. Funny now...

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  30. Born here 1964, great to jump in here with you all :)

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  31. Glad to have another Longwood baby - I never knew another one.

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  32. I was born at the Longwood hospital on Dec 26th 1958. I always thought the Longwood was on Longwood Ave. I'm kinda sad I wasn't born where I thought I was. I lived in East Boston when I was born. I'm not sure why my mom went all the way to JP. Now she is gone and I can't ask her why. Is it possible there's another Longwood hospital?

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    1. Her doctor was probably affiliated with that hospital. Just like today you went to the hospital were your nd was on staff.

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    2. I was born there just three days before you on DEC 23 1958

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  33. Born at Longwood hospital Aug. 5, 1966

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  34. Born at Longwood Hospital on 8/27/59. Dr Herbert Fisher was my Mother's OB. His office was up the street on S Huntington Ave.

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  35. I was born at Longwood Hospital on June 16, 1958 and grew up in Allston. Have been down in that area recently as my husband is at Brigham and Womens. Would have loved to show my son where his mom was born. Was there a Longwood Hospital in Brookline?

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    1. Longwood Hospital is walking distance to Brookline Village.

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    2. Longwood was a cross the street from the VA hospital on S Huntington

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  36. I was born there in January 1962. I was 7 weeks premature.

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  37. I currently work in this building which is now called the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge of Boston. We offer free temporary housing for cancer patients who travel to Boston for treatment. We've had people stop by the building asking if it is the old Longwood Hospital where they were born. We even have a staff member who was born here! Feel free to check out our website at: www.cancer.org/hopelodgeboston or find us on Facebook under Hope Lodge in Boston. We are always happy to give tours. We are also always looking for volunteers!

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  38. Born there in 1951. My folks lived in Newton.

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  39. Was born there in February of 1963, I was told it was a hospital for unwed mothers, not sure if that is true

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    1. No that was not true. There was a home for unwed mother on the Jamaica Way it was I think, at the corner of Perkins St. I think it was called Chartwell House. The proximity is very close to Longwood Hospital and would make Longwood a logical place to give birth.

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    2. Correction the name of the home was Crittendon House

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  40. Kathryn(Brunick)Weisenmiller born January 1,1963 at Lonwood Hospital

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  41. home for unwed mothers (at that time) was not far from the hosp but not related

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  42. I was born at Longwood on July 17, 1947. My brother was born there on June 29, 1948 to Mary (Jackley) Casadevall. Lived on South St., JP

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  43. I was born at Longwood on May 12, 1955. My doctor was Philip Manfredi who had his office on Beacon Street. My grandmother and aunt were both nurses in the delivery room, Wilena MacLeod and Mabel Hooper.

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    1. I do remember my grandmother, Catherine Burke, the linen room lady, getting Christmas cards from both of these nurses. She had great affection for the both. As a nursing assistant at the time I remember them both as supervisors. You had to be right on the ball or Mrs Hooper would definitely let you know about it. Mrs MacLeod was a bit more mellow but definitely waned the same excellence of performance.

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    2. MY Grandfather and my Dad Dr Hal cail and Dr Allen cail were on staff there . As a child we lived above the office 456 Center st Cail Drntal building
      We used to go to Dr Mandredi's house in Maine! Great memories! Of Longwwood.

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    3. Thank You for the great info re Old Jamaica Plain MA. I remember Mark B from St Thomas CYO Band & Colorguard. I was born 10/11/1951 at the closed Longwood Hospital near the VA Medical Ctr Dr Sumner Carp was our family physician. I had my tonsils taken out when I was about 7. The Cails had a huge office in a house at the square just about where S Huntington and Center splits. Young Dr. Cail operated on me to remove 2 wisdom teeth at Longwood when I was about 17. Sincerely Kathie

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  44. 1981 Acute Priv Longwood Hospital Boston CLOSED

    http://www.mhalink.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutMHA/HospitalDirectory/HospitalClosuresMergersAcquisitionsandAffiliations/default.htm

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  45. Mother died there of colon cancer January 1971. Three months after surgery to remove the cancer. No chemo or radiation Thankfully Medicine has made advances since then

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  46. I was born there on February 20, 1965. I'm the youngest of 5 children. My father took my mother in at the latest possible moment because he didn't like the wait. My mom and me survived Thank God.....

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  47. I was born at Long Wood Hospital October 20,1969,my physician was Dr.Smith. The nurse in the nursery was named "Queenie" she was in charge of all the babies, no one was allowed to take care of the babies except "Queenie", you were only allowed to see the babies through the glass. My aunt was also born there May 28, 1962 her physician was Dr. Fisher. My mother & her brother both had their tonsils out the same day in 1959.

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  48. I was born at the Longwood Hospital in September 1950

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  49. I was born at Longwood Hospital in 1955

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  50. I had looked at my birth certificate born at Longwood feb 2 1947,,,,
    my mother was an RN there dad was a marine stationed in Okinawa or Japan,I was almost 2 before he saw me,he deployed in 1946 dad 29 mom 32..now presently living in Cary NC with many visits to JP and lived on ST ROSE ST FOR 1 year and went 2nd grade there..lots of great memories

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  51. My twin sister and I were born there in August of 1955. I heard that hospital was owned by the Mob!

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  52. Me mum was born there in 1945!

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  53. I was born there in February 1964

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  54. My mother Helen Barrett was a nurse at the Longwood….

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    1. I worked with your mother. I was a
      LPN there from 1968 till 1976.
      Your mother was great ro work with.
      .My name was Mary Ellen Doyle..
      I worked on tbe first floor

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    2. My aunt was a nurse and, later, administrator of the hospital. She retired in 1976.

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  55. I I was born in the Longwood December,1946. I believe the obstetrician was a Dr. Murphy. I enjoyed seeing the photo of the old hospital site.

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  56. I was there around 1990 when it was a D.O.C. rehab treatment center .

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  57. Born there April 17, 1957, sister was born there March 22, 1953, Wife was born July 18, 1959. Lived on Castleton (sp) st. untill June 1957, then moved to West Roxbury. Reallu loved growing up in JP and West Roxbury.

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  58. I haven't been here for a while, but I'm glad to have provided a resource for so many people. Longwood babies of the world, unite!

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  59. Born at Longwood Hospital on Jan 14, 1956. Does anyone know the current address of the former hospital building?

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  60. Looks like 125 South Huntington ave

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