Thursday, April 25, 2024
What began as a hospital designed to serve the health care needs of Gatesville residents and the surrounding communities is currently in the process of being demolished.
On Sept. 27 of this year, the Coryell County Commissioners Court approved Sierra Demolition of Round Rock to complete demolition, clearing and cleaning of the property located at 207 N. Lutterloh Street. Demolition of the 80-year-old limestone structure recently got underway.
The very first hospital in Gatesville, known as the Milton Powell Memorial Hospital, located in a private residence at the corner of Leon and Fennimore Streets, operated from 1936 until 1939 when it closed due to financial problems. The following year, in 1940, Coryell County voters passed an issue for $30,000 in bonds to build a county hospital which was to be located on Lutterloh Street.
Construction of the new hospital began in 1942 and was completed in 1943. The building was designed by architects Brooks Pierson of Waco and L.S. Secrest of Gatesville. The 34-bed hospital was built primarily with Works Progress Administration labor at a cost of around $60,000 and was constructed using limestone quarried in Coryell County.
Over 30 years later, the county decided to build yet another hospital and, in 1976, held a groundbreaking ceremony at 1507 W. Main Street. The new hospital was dedicated in 1977 and boasted 40,000 square feet.
The old hospital building on Lutterloh was later renovated in 2013 and became a mental health unit. It became known as the Gatesville Center for Central Texas Services and provided treatment for those diagnosed with mental illness.
In recent years, the building had fallen into disrepair and suffered extensive water damage during the winter storm Yuri in 2021. The damage to the floor, walls, and ceiling made it cost prohibitive to repair.
County Judge Roger Miller said that the building’s historical significance will not be forgotten. “A lot of us can say that we were born at that hospital. It served our community well and the building has stood for 80 years,” Miller said.
