ST MARY'S SANITARIUM
401 N. Main, Boerne

OWNERS: Sisters of Incarnate Word ADDITION: Town Lot LOTS: # DATE: c1896 Style/Period:Resort BUILDER: CONSTRUCTED OF: Wood; metal roof; 6x6 windows DESCRIPTION: Three story, steep roof; porches down stairs and upstairs with decorated posts; balustrades around upstairs porch; portico on south end. Rock wall enclosing the front yard.

HISTORY: This old structure at one time occupied a prominent place on our Main Street. It was located at the top of the hill on the east side of Main Street opposite St. Helena's Episcopal Church. It was operated by the Sisters of The Incarnate Word.

St. Mary's Sanitarium was founded in 1896. Over the years it grew from its 20-bed beginning to 50 beds. Persons with pulmonary trouble, especially tuberculosis, came for treatment to the Boerne area. At the time tuberculosis, known as "white plague," was considered the most destructive disease of man, with one out of every seven people dying from it. It was believed the Hill Country held miraculous cures, so Boerne became a health resort with several sanitariums.

This building was torn down (or burned) about 1924. The site which this building and Holy Angels Academy occupied has been the property of the Nordan family for many years.(Note: Until recently this family owned 711 Ranch).

Source: Boerne Public Library files.- May, 1999

    Catholic Nuns and the Patients in St. Mary's Sanitarium in 1920

Page Line NAME AGE GENDER OCCUPATION PLACE OF BIRTH
10B 82 Sister Mary Assumption 47 F Assistant Ireland
10B 83 Sister Mary Louis 55 F Assistant Ireland
10B 84 Sister Benedict 57 F Assistant Germany
10B 85 Sister Mt. Carmel 58 F Assistant Texas
10B 86 Sister Natalia 50 F Assistant Mexico
10B 87 Sister Batiste 35 F Assistant Germany
10B 88 Sister Priscilla 31 F Assistant Germany
10B 89 Sister Bridgetine 29 F Assistant Ireland
10B 90 Sister Lineles 30 F Assistant Germany
10B 91 Sister Regina 30 F Assistant Texas
10B 92 Carnes, Sadie 32 F Patient Texas
10B 93 Scott, Gertrude 39 F Patient Texas
10B 94 Smith, Leonora 40 F Patient Texas
10B 95 Cartey, William D. 46 M Patient Texas
10B 96 Kutz, Maria 23 F Patient Texas
10B 97 Tindell, Florence 42 F Patient LA
10B 98 Gallagher, John 31 M Patient Ireland
10B 99 ?Mccoy 25 M Patient -
10B 100 Wilson, Lorane 33 F Patient NCOD
llA 1 Shores, Joseph B 34 M Patient GA
llA 2 Morris, Roy E. 32 M Patient AR
llA 3 Carney, Ray S. 27 M Patient Texas
llA 4 Oakley, George 22 M Patient MO
llA 5 Hughes, Madison R. 29 M Patient Texas
llA 6 Woodward, John J 26 M Patient Texas
llA 7 Richardson, Isa 28 M Patient Texas
llA 8 ?Barzeno, Jake M Patient AR
llA 9 Whipple, Jerome 23 M Patient MO
llA 10 ?Shanofsky, Eddie M Patient Texas
llA 11 Fortune, Ernst G. 37 M Patient Texas
llA 12 Schakelford, Henry E. 29 M Patient Texas
llA 13 ?McFarland, 20 M Patient Kansas
llA 14 Palmer, William 27 M Patient TN
llA 15 Busch, M. L. 29 M Patient AR
llA 16 Mahaffey, Ames L. 26 M Patient Texas
llA 17 Pool, George 37 M Patient Texas
llA 18 Massey, E.E. 28 M Patient Texas
llA 19 Austin, Jim A. 26 M Patient WI
llA 20 Briggs, Johnson 28 M Patient Texas
llA 21 Ripley, James L. 22 M Patient AR
llA 22 ?Steinard, Alex D. 9 M Patient TX
llA 23 Stone, Joseph M 20 M Patient GA
llA 24 McCleod, Catherine 48 M boarder Ireland
llA 25 ?Hannigan, Patrick J. 54 M Boarder Ireland

Source of list is the 1920 Federal Census
Note: The quality of our copy is very poor making some names illegible.

Return to Main Page