Polaroid photograph of the demolition of Saint Joseph Hospital on the corner of Broadway and Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Most of the hospital has been pulled down, leaving only this small tower, which had been the north end of the building. Several large steel tanks that resemble giant versions of the propane tanks used for outdoor grills litter the ground on the edge of the demolition site. These held fuel for cutting torches that are being used to weaken the steel frame of the building to make it easier to pull down.

I made this photograph in the early evening.

10-31-22

About The Hospital:

Founded in 1869, Saint Joseph Hospital was the oldest hospital in Fort Wayne. It closed in November, 2021 and demolition began in 2022.

Originally a Roman Catholic hospital, Saint Joseph was sold years ago to a big for-profit company that also owns Lutheran Hospital and Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. The company built a new, much smaller hospital one block over on the corner of Main Street and Van Buren Street to replace the aging Saint Joseph Hospital. The Saint Joseph name was not kept; the new hospital is called "Lutheran Downtown."