Burns Lake’s Second Hospital: From Floating Log House to Community Lifeline
In 1924, Burns Lake’s second hospital was a product of frontier ingenuity. A log house owned by the Carroll family at Decker Lake was dismantled by Patrick “Paddy” Carroll and his brother Bill, floated down the lake on a raft, and reassembled near what is now St. Paul’s United Church on Center Street. The cabin’s new owner rented it to the church for use as a hospital. It’s still standing and in use as a private residence.
The first staff members included three nurses: Miss Haines, Miss Pringle, and Miss A. Moore. Moore later became superintendent and was known for her capable leadership and dedication to patient care.
In 1925, with the formation of the United Church of Canada, the hospital came under the care of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS). The WMS provided staff salaries, bedding, clothing, and medical supplies. Support came from women’s groups across the country, who sent handmade items, baby blankets, surgical dressings, and embroidered linens through the mail to support a hospital most would never see.
The hospital relied heavily on medical care provided by travelling physicians from Smithers, Fort Fraser, and Hazelton. In 1925, Dr. John Taylor “Doc” Steele arrived for a two-year posting, bringing stability. Dr. Thomas Carlyle Holmes followed in 1929 and stayed until his retirement in 1955. Known for his steady presence and quiet humour, Dr. Holmes saved many lives and delivered hundreds of children.
One of the hospital’s most beloved figures was Granny Wilson. Widowed as a young woman, and recognized by her cheerful kerchiefs and hearty laugh, she served as cook, laundress, and general caregiver, hauling water from the lake, scrubbing linens in a manual washer, and preparing meals from scratch. “She wasn’t trained,” one former patient said, “but she had healing in her hands.”
The Center Street hospital had no electricity or plumbing. Lit by lanterns, the dining room table served as a makeshift operating table for surgeries and childbirth. Patients arrived on foot, by wagon, or horse-drawn sleds in winter.
The first baby born in the hospital arrived on October 15, 1924, to the Erickson family of Danskin. Miss Moore and Miss Pringle delivered a healthy boy; he left the hospital in a knitted outfit sent from a church group in Ontario.
Hospital rates were $1.50 per day, but people were rarely turned anyone away. Families often paid their medical bills with in-kind contributions. Milk, chickens, firewood, and preserves were common forms of payment. Blankets, bandages, baby clothes, furniture, and other supplies continued to arrive by rail, all donated by people who believed in supporting healthcare in remote communities.
From a floating log house to a local hospital, the humble facility on Center Street symbolized the community’s kindness, ingenuity, and cooperation.
In 1924, Burns Lake’s second hospital was a product of frontier ingenuity. A log house owned by the Carroll family at Decker Lake was dismantled by Patrick “Paddy” Carroll and his brother Bill, floated down the lake on a raft, and reassembled near what is now St. Paul’s United Church on Center Street. The cabin’s new owner rented it to the church for use as a hospital. It’s still standing and in use as a private residence.
The first staff members included three nurses: Miss Haines, Miss Pringle, and Miss A. Moore. Moore later became superintendent and was known for her capable leadership and dedication to patient care.
In 1925, with the formation of the United Church of Canada, the hospital came under the care of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS). The WMS provided staff salaries, bedding, clothing, and medical supplies. Support came from women’s groups across the country, who sent handmade items, baby blankets, surgical dressings, and embroidered linens through the mail to support a hospital most would never see.
The hospital relied heavily on medical care provided by travelling physicians from Smithers, Fort Fraser, and Hazelton. In 1925, Dr. John Taylor “Doc” Steele arrived for a two-year posting, bringing stability. Dr. Thomas Carlyle Holmes followed in 1929 and stayed until his retirement in 1955. Known for his steady presence and quiet humour, Dr. Holmes saved many lives and delivered hundreds of children.
One of the hospital’s most beloved figures was Granny Wilson. Widowed as a young woman, and recognized by her cheerful kerchiefs and hearty laugh, she served as cook, laundress, and general caregiver, hauling water from the lake, scrubbing linens in a manual washer, and preparing meals from scratch. “She wasn’t trained,” one former patient said, “but she had healing in her hands.”
The Center Street hospital had no electricity or plumbing. Lit by lanterns, the dining room table served as a makeshift operating table for surgeries and childbirth. Patients arrived on foot, by wagon, or horse-drawn sleds in winter.
The first baby born in the hospital arrived on October 15, 1924, to the Erickson family of Danskin. Miss Moore and Miss Pringle delivered a healthy boy; he left the hospital in a knitted outfit sent from a church group in Ontario.
Hospital rates were $1.50 per day, but people were rarely turned anyone away. Families often paid their medical bills with in-kind contributions. Milk, chickens, firewood, and preserves were common forms of payment. Blankets, bandages, baby clothes, furniture, and other supplies continued to arrive by rail, all donated by people who believed in supporting healthcare in remote communities.
From a floating log house to a local hospital, the humble facility on Center Street symbolized the community’s kindness, ingenuity, and cooperation.
