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Historic Name

Old San Antonio Hospital

Address

792 W Arrow Highway
Upland, CA 91786

Evaluation

Building
5/7/2007

Construction Date

1907

Current Owner

Astara Inc.

Current Owner Address

P.O.box 9003
Upland, CA 91786

Description

Located at the southeast corner of West Arrow Highway and San Antonio Avenue, the old San Antonio Hospital is a two-story building in the Craftsman style. A side gable roof caps the structure, with three front gables defining a three bay facade.

The old San Antonio Hospital has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is significant at the local level for its architecture, for its association with prominent persons in Upland's history, and for the roles it has played in community life. ~uilt in 1907, the hospital was the first and only such facility in Upland and ontario for many years. It was financed by the San Antonio ~ospital Association, a stock company organized for the purpose, whose first president was Judge Pollack of Ontario. J.J Atwood of Upland succeeded Pollack in the position. Building materials were obtained from the Atwood- Blakeslee Lumber Company and construction was supervised by a contractor named Walton. One of the forces behind the hospital was Dr. William Craig, the patriarch of a medical family that doctored many of Upland's residents for several generations. The lower story is of cobblestone construction while the main level has been sheathed with stucco. Lunette vents pierce the gable ends. At the top of a flight of stairs, the central bay is framed by cobblestone piers. A low stone wall encloses a porch onto which several sets of French doors open. Additional pairs of French doors open onto balconies defined by stick railings which are centered in the side bays. Double-hung sash windows openings pierce the lower level walls and the side elevations. Original interior features, according to newspaper accounts, include wood plank floors, arched doors, high and decorative ceilings, a stone window seat and a stone fireplace.

Another stone fireplace is said to be in a rear patio. Intact except for the stucco surfacing and the interior accommodation for other than hospital uses, the building is in good condition.

Miss Anna Shaw was named the first superintendent of the new hospital, which also functioned as a nursing school. The facility boasted eight private wards and two four-bed wards in addition to the surgery. By 1924 the medical needs of the growing community had outstripped the old hospital and a new hospital was erected on East San Bernardino Road. For the next ten years the building functioned as a resort. Then, in 1935, the Brethren in Christ Church acquired the property and converted the hospital into Beulah College. Beulah College became Upland College in 1950, remaining on the site until 1965. The building is once again being used as an educational center by its current owners, the Astara Foundation, who acquired the building in 1976 from the Salvation Army.