Today’s photo is dated, May 23, 1929 and the caption on the back reads: “Grace Hospital Windsor”. It was quite the grand mansion at the corner of Crawford and University. The house was donated to the Salvation Army for hospital use.
The old wing of the hospital was damaged in a fire in 1960, and was demolished and replaced with the five story 1960’s wing along Crawford in 1964.
Now look at the site! It is a dis”grace” that the Liberals allowed this to happen and it is a dis”grace” that our weak MPP’s in this area (Pupatello and Duncan) have left this burde on the shoulders of area residents.
I think the area residents should do a class action lawsuit against the Ontario gov’t, the Liberal party of Ontario and Lou Vozza for the mess left behind and for the further reduction in property values on neighbouring lands.
There was something sneaky in all of this, especially with the multiple deadlines given. Now what? The place STILL isn’t secured even though Dwight Duncan stated it would be within a few weeks. (Do you really trust this pissant any more??).
I have to ask why both the NDP and the PC’s haven’t asked for the Health Minister’s resignation over this fiasco?
House reminds me of the Walker’s house on Riverside Dr E which was given to the Children’s Aid Society.
Was this a private home before being donated to the Salvation Army? Any idea whose it was, if it was private?
Any idea of the population of Windsor in 1929?
This looks more like a retirement home than a hospital.
Beautiful building and grounds.
It was the former Ellis house and was aquired by the Salvation Army in 1918 I believe.
In 1921 the population was 38,591 in 1931 it was 63,108.
The largest growth period was 1961 to ’71 where we gained 100,000. It has now stagnated since 1971 at between 201,000 to 216,000. Which says a lot about how the city itself is NOT doing what it should be doing to attract new business and people. Especially since we have arguably the best weather in Canada.
I truly put the blame for this on city hall over the last 40 years. Their slow, don’t rock the boat, behind the times and extreme provincial approach has not bode well for this city. (Take a look at our historical buildings and the neglect of the great history of this region. Absolutely shameful!!).
Perhaps this will change now that most line workers have university degrees instead of making money hand over fist with little education. Well, that and when the old boys club finally falls down perhaps then we will be at the forefront of progress where EVERYONE’s ideas can come to fruition.
In the 50s, my grandparents lived at 450 Oak, now part of the parking lot. behind them, on Crawford, was a huge old house, something like this one, which was used by the salvation Army, as a Home for Unwed Mothers. May even have been this one.
wow !! that’s all i have to say !!! speechless !!!
Dave, the only reason Windsor grew so much during the ’60s is due to the large annexations of nearby municipalities during that time.
Best weather in Canada??? As soon as you’re turning off the A/C it’s time to fire up the furnace again. There’s no happy medium. I’ve lived in many parts of Canada and Windsor-Essex has the worst climate I’ve experienced. Maybe some people like steam baths.
Dave, I’ll take this over those horrendous winters the rest of Canada gets anytime : )
Rob, I haven’t checked but I don’t think those municipalities had a total of 100,000 people.
The front door of the Ellis house is in Hotel Dieu in the hallway between the emergency waiting room and the main lobby.
Dear Shirley…I have just learned of the house I was most likely born in. My mother was unwed when I was born at Grace Hospital. I know she stayed in the mance until I was adopted out. So likely, this may very well have been the house she stayed in until she was well enough to go home to Chatham. She had given up another baby girl two years before I was born. We both were of the same mother and father who could not marry due to coming from “very different sides of the track”.
Seeing this photo does not make me sad. It only adds another piece of the puzzle for me.
many thanks
Hi Annie:
This is indeed the home on Crawford ave for unwed mothers. It was called Faith Havens and I grew up next door. I remember the beautiful home. I would speak to the girls who lived there through the fence. It was run by the savation army. It was a beautiful home and the girls all seemed to enjoy the home while they were there. I believe it was 1970 when they closed the home. I remember when they tore it down it was very sad, my home was torn down as well in 1972 to be made into a parking lot as well as the faith haven home. Very sad that the great old mansions on Crawford were torn down for parking lots for a hospital that no longer exists. When I go to Windsor now and drive down that street it makes me so sad. So many good memories. Maybe I spoke to your mother. I hope this helps with a few details of the home for you.
Can anyone confirm who owned the Ellis House previously. Family history has always claimed the original owner was John Thorburn of the Cameron and Thorburn store which became Bartlett’s after the great Windsor fire of the late 1800″s.
It looks like one of those old rest homes they had years ago where some with TB or a mental problem went to recoperate from their illness
Re: Faith Haven
Is there such a thing as an employee list around 1935-1943?
Much appreciated.
Regards, Ruth
i was born here wow incredible to see this hospital Aug.1,1954
I was told that I was born here as well on Dec 10 1964. I finally met my birthmother 2 or so years ago and found out many interesting and exciting tidbits. My mother was barely 18 when I was born and she was the only daughter of an Orthadox Russian so needless to say I had to go. My adoptive parents were more than great so all in all I had a winning experience. I have to say that seeing the hospital and its grounds in their current state is a tad depressing but maybe one day they will be returned to their former glory.
My father was a doctor there delivering babies from the 1950s to 1970s. I spent a lot of time hanging out there waiting for him growing up. It’s a shame and disrespectful what the city / province have done.
Does anyone have the address for Faith Havens on Crawford? I’d like to be able to find a picture of the place to get a look at where my mother cared for me for 2 1/2 months till I was adopted. I ended up growing up on the Riverside block of Oak Ave. When I was in my mid 30’s I found out that my birth mother had lived here with me in 1950 but died in 1959. Alot of kids moved through this place over the years, a shame it isn’t still here.
I read some of the comments. I was born May 2, 1960 at Grace Hospital. I was given up for adoption when I was a week old. Just wondering if this was still a place for unwed mothers at that time?
Hello,
I am looking for information regarding a hospital in Windsor who cared for War Veterans. I discovered that my grandad whom was a WW1 and WW2 Veteran spent the last days of his life in a Veterans Hospital in Windsor; due to head injuries he sustained as the victim of a hit & run accident.
Would anyone know anything about such a facility in Windsor?
PS I was born in the Salvation Army “Grace Haven” home for unwed mothers located in Hamilton Ontario.
Any info would be appreciated.
Rhonda-Lynn Robson