The Laurel
Sanitarium was built in 1905 by owners and physicians Dr. Jesse C. Coggins and
Dr. Cornelius DeWeese. The facility, built on a 163-acre farm, was charged
with caring for those with compromised nervous diseases, mental diseases,
alcohol and drug addiction. A central administration building joined together
the five buildings that housed the female and male patients.
Day-to-day
life at the sanitarium included classes. Women were taught needlework and
basket-making, while the men learned gardening, painting and road making. In
addition to billiards and bowling indoors, patients could play tennis or
croquet outdoors.
Most of
the information regarding Dr. Coggins involves a will he made just a month
before he died in 1962. There was a clause stating that the money be used for a
building, and among the stipulations was that the building was for whites only.
When Dr.
Coggins’ last surviving relative died in 1999, a battle ensued between the
first organization (Keswick Multi-Care) and the organization named if the first
couldn’t adhere to the provisions in the will (University of MD Medical
System). The courts first ruled in UM’s favor, but Keswick appealed. Four years
later Keswick won, and received $31 million.
The
building that currently houses The Med Chi Insurance Agency was named for Dr. Coggins.
No comments:
Post a Comment