Talk of the Town - Whitley County

Above, an old photograph of Linvill Memorial Hospital shows the building before the new addition was added in 1952.

By Jennifer Zartman Romano

It was Whitley County’s first hospital facility, a red brick building at 215 East Van Buren Street bearing a name local residents for generations associated with medicine – Linvill.

With many years having passed, its original purpose as a place at the forefront of local medical care is rapidly fading from memory. Fewer people recall receiving treatment there, and while it is enjoying a sort of rebirth with a new purpose, it is still interesting to know more about what the building once was.

Originally the home of Dr. David Goff Linvill, the oldest part of what is now the Linvill Building was built in 1879. Linvill is considered by many accounts to be the founder of the Whitley County medical community. He and his uncle, Dr. William Swayze came to Columbia City to practice medicine together in 1849.

In 1929, Linvill’s son, Dr. Benjamin Perry Linvill, tore down most of his parents’ home except for portions of the ground and first floor, added on and converted it into Linvill Memorial Hospital. The hospital had 20 beds and a variety of medical services were performed there for the citizens of Whitley County.

Though not technically the first “hospital” as Dr. David Goff Linvill had rented rooms in the Washburn building for a medical hospital, the Linvill Memorial Hospital was the first dedicated hospital building in the community.

Dr. Benjamin Perry Linvill was a graduate of Culver Military Academy, Whittenberg College and Washington University. He studied medicine and received surgical training at the University of Michigan. He was eventually the assistant chief of surgery at the University of Michigan Hospital. He performed surgery in Columbia City for a period of time between 1911-1927, but then left for Chicago where he was a surgeon at Auburn Park Hospital.

After returning to Columbia City and constructing the Linvill Memorial Hospital in honor of his father, Linvill continued his medical career until 1946 and died July 7, 1951.

A newer wing was added to the building in 1952 that housed a medical clinic.

Whitley County Memorial Hospital (the hospital currently known as Parkview Whitley Hospital) opened in April of 1951 on North Oak Street. The Linvill Memorial Hospital continued to operate as a hospital until April 19, 1969.

The Linvill Memorial Hospital building continued to house medical offices, treatment rooms, a nursing home area and a clinic until the building was purchased by the Whitley Memorial Hospital board of trustees in 1986. Shortly thereafter, it was converted into Linvill Fitness Center.

Dr. John Vogel was the last physician to practice in the building.

The building continued on as the Linvill Fitness Center until just a few years ago when Parkview Health sold the building to a private individual and closed the fitness facility. Since then, it has become a home to several local businesses, including Hill’s ATA Taekwondo, Franklin Electric, Adarna Healthcare, Vardaman Insurance and GRAMS Tutoring, to name a few.

As the current owners of the building, John McGill and Rex Shisler, continue to invest in its care and upkeep, finding alternative uses for the space, it is certain the Linvill Memorial Hospital building will continue to be an important location in the community.

* A special thank you to Whitley County Historical Museum assistant director Angie Maley for helping with this story.