Lakewood Lore

Lakewood Hospital 'birthplace' becomes ornamental

A two-story frame house -- the seedling from which sprouted the largest institution of our city -- will be featured by the Women's Board of the Lakewood Historical Society this Christmas season.

The home was the birthplace of Lakewood Hospital in 1907. It once stood on the southeast corner of Detroit and Belle Avenues. It was built so that it could be converted into a double-family residence, if the hospital venture failed.

"A hand-painted, wooden miniature reproduction of the original house has been chosen as this year's landmark ornament," Cheryl Weaver, vice president of the Women's Board, announced this week.

"It will appear on holiday wreaths sold by board members for their annual Yuletide fund-raiser to benefit restoration programs of the historical society."

Lakewood Hospital was founded 87 years ago by a few physicians led by Dr. C. Lee Graber, who mortgaged his own home to get start-up money for the undertaking.

Graber served as chief of surgery. A registered nurse, M. Alice Brooks, was superintendent. Originally, there were 15 beds in the home.

Soon after the hospital was opened, community-spirited women of Lakewood gave supplemental help. They formed an organization to provide three charity beds in the home, and assisted in other ways.

Supportive, too, during the early days, was the Cotabish Charitable Fund, established by Vida Cotabish. She was the daughter of Nelson Cotabish, who served as mayor of Lakewood in 1911 at the time our growing community was incorporated as a city.

In 1917, when mounting needs dictated additional space, a new four-story brick edifice was built on Detroit in front of the original home. Thereafter, until 1937, the hospital's initial quarters continued to be used, but were relegated to housing student nurses.

The wellspring home was torn down in 1948. Graber remained chief surgeon of the hospital until that year. He died in 1954 at age 80.

During the past half-century, expansion followed expansion, until today the hospital and its satellite facilities have become one of our community's greatest assets. They comprise a total of more than 600,000 square feet of floor space, compared to a mere 1,800 to 2,000 square feet provided by the early home.

The hospital now has 385 beds and boasts among its latest improvements a state-of-the-art trauma center, a Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital-affiliated pediatrics program, an obstetrical maternity unit (reopened in 1991) and a five-story atrium.

Also, in a recently completed separate building across the street from the main edifice, is a new Community Health Center, which includes child-care accommodations with kindergarten, and adult day-care provisions for the frail elderly.

The hospital's first address is the ninth historical landmark to be highlighted in miniature as part of the society's annual wreath sales project.

According to Weaver, similar ornaments designated in previous years, all of which are fast becoming collector's items, include Lakewood's oldest stone house, featured in 1986; the James Nicholson House in '87; the Matthew Hall house in '88; East Rockport Central School (now the Board of Education) in '89; First New Jerusalem Church in '90; the Harvey Hackenberg mansion in '91; the Erastus Day Victorian farmhouse in '92, and the tudor-style filling station on Detroit at West Clifton in '93.

All buildings except the church, Hall house and hospital birthplace still stand today.

As in the past, this year's ornaments will be made by Lakewood artists Debbie Cleary and Sari Cantlin. The artists will hand-paint, sign and number each of the limited allotment of 325 pieces to be produced.

Meanwhile, the wreaths will be crafted by Women's Board volunteers, using fragrant, fresh-green Maine Blasam, to which will be wired decorative gold metallic bows, painted twigs, pomegranates, seed pods and dried-wood mushrooms.

The wreaths, which will measure 20-24 inches in diameter, will be $25 apiece without ornament or $35 with, the same as last year. An ornament alone will cost $16.

Order forms can be obtained at most leading stores in Lakewood and Rocky River, or by phoning the Lakewood Historical society at 221-7343. Deadline for ordering is Nov. 15, and pickup date is Dec. 2 at the Skatehouse behind the Oldest Stone House Museum in Lakewood Park.

This article appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post November 10, 1994. Reprinted with permission.

[Note: The 1995 ornament was the architect Clarence Mack house]

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