History Eastern State Hospital (Washington)

board of commissioners report selecting site , authorizing construction of eastern state hospital

in 1887, following territorial legislative session in olympia, thomas h. cavanaugh , secretary charles w. clarke issued summary report, report of board of commissioners appointed select location hospital insane in eastern washington legislative assembly. report details search , evaluation site construct insane asylum in eastern washington state board of commissioners , how medical lake preferred location. report addressed council , house of representatives of territory of washington.

there many reasons board choose medical lake site of new hospital. land had offer, permanent spring, abundance of building materials such timber , granite, , numerous terraces building sites. spring used clean drinking water while nearby lake used lavatory , medical uses. in addition this, citizens of medical lake proposed donate quarter section of land should hospital built @ medical lake site, quoted @ time $100 acre.

other sites visited board in towns of yakima, walla walla, waitsburg, dayton, pomeroy, , colfax, none of considered desirable site @ medical lake. yakima site quoted @ $50 acre while walla walla, waitsburg, dayton, pomeroy, , colfax sites between $10–25 acre. medical lake more expensive , in 1887 relatively inaccessible major railways. however, not reason enough commissioners t.j. smith, g.j. hill, , charles w. clarke think of other location best suited construct hospital.