In 1903, Cottage Hospital began operation in what was known as the Cobleigh Tavern, built in 1795 at today's junction of Routes 10 and 135 in Woodsville, New Hampshire.
In 1953, the first set of triplets were born at Cottage Hospital. They were delivered around 7:00 a.m. to Avis Smith. However, all the bassinets in the hospital's nursery were occupied, but there was one small incubator open. The first baby born was put into the incubator, the second was being held by someone, and the third was being put into a bureau drawer. A couple of minutes after the birth, William L. Wilson, Administrator of the Mary Hitchcock Hospital, called to hear of the exciting news. When he was told of the lack of room for the triplets, he informed the nurse that he had already sent out a truck with one large incubator, to be delivered to Cottage Hospital. Mr. Wilson told the nurse that it would arrive at the hospital shortly, where they were to accept the use of the incubator, and to use it free of charge, for as long as they needed it. He told the nurses to inform him if he could be of more assistance. Eventually the triplets went home to a happy, loving mother.
One of the sets of twins born at the new and upcoming Cottage Hospital were the Simmons twin boys. William and Charles Simmons were born at cottage hospital on December 16, 1979 to Richard and Melanie Simmons of Bradford, VT. Cathy Stimson and Bertha Knapp made the twin boys Christmas stocking and caps, to wear for their time in the hospital.
When it became apparent that the Cobleigh Tavern building they had been using for the Cottage Hospital was no longer adequate, the hospital decided a new hospital was necessary. There was thought of building a hospital in North Haverhill, at the nearby Grafton County Home, but the public opinion decided it would be better to have a separate hospital. Through tremendous amounts of fundraising, $600,000.00 was raised for the new hospital. On July 3, 1960 the new hospital was dedicated and put into use. The old hospital was stripped of everything that could still be used, and it went up for sale. After 14 years passing, and still no interested buyers, in 1974, arrangements were made for the Woodsville Fire Department, and others nearby, to burn the building as a training exercise. In 1974, there was also a huge lack of doctors. A sign appeared in Woodsville stating, WE NEED DOCTORS.
All in the information in this blog post came from: Blaisdell, Katharine. Over The River And Through The Years. Vol. 6. N.p.: n.p., 1984. Print.
