Old Postcard Wednesday--Garden and Forest - Christian Science Sanatorium, San Francisco, Calif.

san·a·to·ri·um
1 : an establishment that provides therapy combined with a regimen (as of diet and exercise) for treatment or rehabilitation
2 a : an institution for rest and recuperation (as of convalescents) b : an establishment for the treatment of the chronically ill (source: Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary)

sanatorium
An institution for the treatment of chronic disorders and a place for recuperation under medical supervision.
Origin: Mod. L. Neuter of sanatorius, curative, fr. Sano, to cure, heal

Compare: sanitarium. (source: Online Medical Dictionary)

sanitarium

an institution for the preservation or recovery of health, especially for convalescence; health resort.
Also, sanatorium. 
Origin:
1850–55;  < Latin sānit ( ās ) health ( see sanity) + -ārium -ary (source: Dictionary.com)

sanitarium

health services
Another spelling of sanatorium (source: encarta.msn)

But, when not used interchangeably with sanatorium, the definition for sanitarium is.....

sanitarium

A psychiatric hospital (also called a mental hospital or asylum) is a hospital specializing in the treatment of persons with mental illness. Psychiatric wards differ only in that they are a unit of a larger hospital. (source: wordiq.com)

I initially selected this postcard with its serene scene at the edge of the California Pacific coast with Japan across the ocean in mind. Sometimes OPW posts gather their own momentum as I work through numerous research windows preparing them. That was the case with this one, as the mood moved from serenity to insanity nearly as quickly as have current events. 

As introduction to the remaining portion of this week's OPW post let me say that I have never been a fan of Metallica. I don't think I ever listened to one of their songs from beginning to end until this one below (liked it), and that was only after reading the lyrics to the song and finding them eerily fitting. As a bizarre definition of our times, then, here are the lyrics first, followed by the song.

Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
- from Master of Puppets by Metallica (1986)

(Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett)

Welcome to where time stands still
no one leaves and no one will
Moon is full, never seems to change
just labeled mentally deranged
Dream the same thing every night
I see our freedom in my sight
No locked doors, No windows barred
No things to make my brain seem scarred

Sleep my friend and you will see
that dream is my reality
They keep me locked up in this cage
can't they see it's why my brain says Rage

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Build my fear of what's out there
and cannot breathe the open air
Whisper things into my brain
assuring me that I'm insane
They think our heads are in their hands
but violent use brings violent plans
Keep him tied, it makes him well
he's getting better, can't you tell?

No more can they keep us in
Listen, damn it, we will win
They see it right, they see it well
but they think this saves us from our hell

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Fear of living on
natives getting restless now
Mutiny in the air
got some death to do
Mirror stares back hard
Kill, it's such a friendly word
seems the only way
for reaching out again  

{Note: I included deeper information about
the Christian Science Sanitorium
at Arden Wood 

in this post

in 2008.}

_________
#1 print of waves:
TITLE:  Hatō zu TITLE TRANSLATION:  Waves.
CREATED/PUBLISHED:  [between 1900 and 1940] 
CREATOR: Uehara, Konen, 1878-1940, artist.
Format: Nishikie.
Forms part of: Japanese prints and drawings (Library of Congress). 
  
#2 print of high waves:
TITLE:  Hatō zu TITLE TRANSLATION:  Waves. 
CREATED/PUBLISHED:  [between 1900 and 1920] 
CREATOR: Uehara, Konen, 1878-1940, artist.
Format: full color woodblock print.
Forms part of: Japanese prints and drawings (Library of Congress).


 .

Old Postcard Wednesday--Christian Science Sanatorium - Arden Wood, San Francisco, Calif.

san·a·to·ri·um (source: Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary)
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ri·ums or -ria
1 : an establishment that provides therapy combined with a regimen (as of diet and exercise) for treatment or rehabilitation
2 a : an institution for rest and recuperation (as of convalescents) b : an establishment for the treatment of the chronically ill

sanatorium (source: Online Medical Dictionary)
An institution for the treatment of chronic disorders and a place for recuperation under medical supervision.
Origin: Mod. L. Neuter of sanatorius, curative, fr. Sano, to cure, heal
Compare: sanitarium.

Arden Wood Residential and Nursing Home opened in May 1930. Information here shows three additional old postcards of the Christian Science Sanatorium, describing them as dating to 1930 (I have at least one of these other three in my grandmother's collection and have written before that she was a Christian Scientist). The website linked above is a feature about San Francisco's Western Neighborhoods Project and describes the one where this picture was taken as the West Portal Neighborhood. Additionally, it mentions that the building was recently renovated but does not give a date (it appears the website was launched in 2003 and has been updated recently, leading me to believe the renovation must have taken place sometime after 2003).

"The First Church of Christ, Scientist" selected the plot of land in the newly-developed West Portal neighborhood for its west coast nursing facility in the 1920s. On a beautifully landscaped twelve acres the home provides residential living, nursing training, and nursing care under Christian Science standards (no medicine, no physical therapy, faith in God to heal).
The chalet-like main building has been recognized as an architectural landmark by the City of San Francisco and has been recently renovated and refurbished by Arden Wood Inc.

Arden Wood, as it is now known, "first opened its doors in 1930 as a healing sanatorium for patients needing Christian Science nursing care and for nurses training. Today, Christian Science nursing remains at the core of Arden Wood’s purpose." You can visit Arden Wood's website, with descriptions of its mission and services, here. There is a section at the website containing Accounts of Healing, of sorts. I am neutral concerning this issue and feel it important to note that not everyone seeking healing at the sanatorium has indeed been healed (see "Last Years" at the end of the article about Butler Sturtevant).

I find this postcard shot, Garden and Forest, very beautiful and wonder if the area remains undeveloped today on the grounds of Arden Wood.






UPDATE TO OLD POSTCARD LAST WEEK
GRANDVIEW COMMUNITY, INC., (MADRONA MANOR)
HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA:
Joseph Hadley, General Manager of Madrona Manor, wrote the kindest email to me in response to my filling out an online form at their website notifying them of the post with old picture of Madrona Manor. In part, he wrote:

In the limited research we have been able to accomplish, really all we learned was that it was owned by a succession of private parties using it primarily as a summer home. I had heard a rumor that there was a commercial venture of some kind, although until hearing from you, we did not have a name with which to begin. We felt that there had to have been a commercial entity of some kind prior to the conversion to an inn and restaurant in 1980, which would explain the addition of a commercial kitchen prior to the 1960’s.

Perhaps I can find something at the county property records department under Grandview Community Inc.

I want to publicly thank you, Mr. Hadley, for your communication. I am positive that I'm not alone in hoping to someday enjoy a stay at the fabulous Madrona Manor! Please let us all know if you find additional information about Grandview Community Inc.

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