Susan LaFlesche Picotte Hospital

Built in 1913, this was the hospital run by the first Native American woman doctor in the United States, Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte. Dr. Susan constructed the building to serve the surrounding tribal community’s health needs. The “Dr. Susan” hospital is a one-story wood-framed building with a garden level and a partial second floor. The basement walls are multi-way clay masonry.

 

The building had fallen into poor condition through the years, including a large hole in the roof from a fallen tree branch allowing excessive moisture damage to the building. As a result, work on the building has occurred in phases. Those phases began with a conditional assessment. From that assessment, needs were prioritized and a repair plan was developed.

 

The greatest need for the building was repairing the external envelope to prevent additional damage to the building interior. Repair documents to repair the damaged roof, repair deteriorated masonry basement walls to minimize moisture infiltration, and underpin unstable foundation conditions.

  

The current phase of the project is to renovate the building's interior. This renovation is to convert the spaces into a museum for Dr. Susan and her work. This includes exhibit space, a new lift to meet ADA needs, and offices for museum staff.

 

Architects: Strata Architecture, BVH Architecture

Phase 1 - Conditional Assessment

Phase 3a - Exterior Envelope Restoration

Phase 3b - Interior Renovation: In Progress

Location: Walthill, NE