Government Hospital for the Insane

West Lodge, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington, DC, circa 1898

The Government Hospital for the Insane (now known as St. Elizabeth’s Hospital) was established in 1855. Though the hospital was at capacity with the mentally ill, a significant amount of space was made available for sick and wounded soldiers. The Navy also had personnel who were patients at the hospital.

The West Lodge for African American male patients was originally built in the 1850s. This photograph shows it as it was expanded in size circa 1898. The building was demolished in the 1960s.

See St. Elizabeth’s Hospital: A History by Thomas Otto for a complete history of the hospital. You might be especially interested in “Chapter 3: The Civil War Comes to St. Elizabeth’s.”