Blast from the Past: The Powder Works Hospital

Aside from the Hercules Village district of restored homes, there aren't many buildings that remain from from our days as a company town.  One of them is the old Plant Hospital.

The building actually started as the City Clerk's residence, then later became the Hercules branch of the county library system.  Once it was turned into a hospital, it was among the very first industrial hospitals in the state, and the very first in the explosives industry.  The August 1919 edition of the Hercules Mixer, the company newsletter, described it this way:

"The Works Hospital is Fully Equipped to Take Care of All Accidents Occurring at the Plant -- Two Physicians and a Nurse Were in Constant Attendance When the Plant Was Running at Full Capacity -- A Very Complete and Modern X-ray Apparatus is a Feature of the Equipment."

In 1977, the building became the first headquarters of the newly founded Hercules Police Department.  HPD remained there until moving into the new Civic Center in 1986.

NOTE:  I have been remiss in reminding people lately about the wonderful book for sale by the Hercules Historical Society, of which I am a proud member.  It's loaded with photos of the plant, the villiage, the people, you name it.  Perfect for anyone who wants to learn about our past.