Exeter History Tellers: Exeter’s Second and Third Hospitals

Last month’s article focused on the story of Exeter’s first hospital, established by Dr. Isaac Saylin in 1914. That hospital served Exeter for 14 years, until Dr. Reuben C. Hill decided to convert his private residence into a hospital in 1928.

That residence, pictured below, still stands at the corner of Crespi and Buena Vista avenues. A small building in the backyard provided housing for nurses and other hospital staff.

Former Exeter hospital on Crespi and Buena Vista avenues

Dr. Hill married his first wife, Florence, in Oakland in 1901, when both were in their twenties. He had completed medical school, and she had received training as a pathologist. They had three children in the early 1900s, all of whom were grown by the time Dr. Hill moved to Exeter in the early 1920s and established his medical practice.

By all accounts, Dr. Hill was a highly regarded surgeon whose reputation extended well beyond Exeter. In addition to his medical practice, he was one of the charter members of the Exeter Kiwanis Club in 1923 and eventually served as a Kiwanis district lieutenant governor. In that capacity, he traveled throughout the valley and across California representing Exeter Kiwanis.

For a decade, Dr. Hill lived and worked under the same roof. His family occupied primarily the upstairs rooms, while the downstairs and basement were devoted to medical services. Babies were delivered, surgeries performed, broken bones set, and rattlesnake bites treated—all within the walls of what had originally been a family home.

By the mid-1930s, however, circumstances were changing. Dr. Hill's first marriage apparently ended, and by the 1940 census, he was married to Florence O. Harrington, his former nurse. Whether she had grown tired of living in a hospital or the demands of modern medical care had simply outgrown the residence isn't clear. Whatever the reason, a new chapter in Exeter's hospital history was about to begin.

In 1938, Florence Harrington, listed as the owner of the new hospital, opened a facility at the corner of South E Street and Maple Avenue. The building, originally constructed in 1914, had previously housed a feed store and blacksmith shop. It was completely remodeled and transformed into what was described as a modern, up-to-date hospital.

In September 1938, a full-page advertisement in the Exeter Sun proudly proclaimed:

“Exeter Makes Another Forward Step with a Modern Hospital Now Open at Maple and E Streets.”

The advertisement went on to announce:

“New Building, New Equipment, Up-to-date in Every Respect, Three Resident Physicians.”

Twelve local businesses, including Exeter Mercantile, Exeter Drug, Mixter's Pharmacy, Exeter Furniture Store, and the Southern Pacific Brickyard Plant, paid for the advertisement in support of this important addition to the community.

Their message reflected the pride Exeter residents felt in their new medical facility:

“The people of Exeter and the Exeter District are proud of this latest addition to the modern

facilities of the City and extend congratulations to the Owners and Physicians in charge.”

The advertisement also emphasized that the hospital was “Open to all reputable physicians

and their patients.” Like Exeter's first two hospitals, this one was privately owned.

On Sunday, September 18, 1938, the new hospital opened its doors to the public for an open house from 2 to 9 p.m. It had already admitted several patients, including its first maternity patient, who gave birth to Larry Millard, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Millard. Larry and his sister Pat both graduated as active members of EUHS 1956.

Miss Harrington and Dr. Hill were understandably proud of the new facility, particularly what

they described as its “compact efficiency and beauty of interior design.”

The hospital initially had 12 beds but could accommodate as many as 21 patients when

necessary. Considerable attention had been given to the building's layout, with rooms arranged to minimize noise and disturbances.

Even the entrance was designed to create a welcoming atmosphere. As the newspaper described it:

“The entry is set back from the street and a brick walk leads to the blue and white entrance

through a garden planted to shrubs and flowers.”

Inside, the hospital featured a modern X-ray room, while an emergency entrance near the alley provided convenient access for ambulances.

The open house was an enormous success. An estimated 1,000+ visitors toured the new building, arriving from Exeter and communities throughout the valley.

Among them was Dr. J. H. Pettis of Fresno, one of the valley's best-known surgeons. After

inspecting the operating room, he reportedly declared it “the best in the valley.”

Assisting Miss Harrington during the open house were head nurse Mrs. Orval Schelling and

several other women. Mrs. Schelling oversaw the nurses. Visitors were particularly impressed with the attractive gardens surrounding the building, both in front and in back.

The new hospital was a source of genuine civic pride. It represented another step forward for a growing community determined to provide modern medical care for its residents.

But its life as a hospital would last only ten years.

In 1948, Exeter opened an entirely new community hospital, built through the financial contributions and efforts of area residents. With that opening, the era of privately owned

hospitals in Exeter came to an end.

Dr. Phil Buckman subsequently purchased the former hospital building from Dr. Hill and his

wife, the former Florence Harrington. He continued using it as his medical office until

approximately 1983.

Today, the building is occupied by Café Lafayette, To Dye For Salon, and We Fit Boot Camp. Many people pass the building at Maple Avenue and E Street without realizing that it once housed Exeter's third hospital—a place where babies were born, surgeries were performed, illnesses were treated, and countless families experienced some of the most important moments of their lives.

For ten years, it was one of the places where Exeter took care of its own.