DOCTOR McCREERY'S HOSPITAL

Did you know that Whittemore once had its own hospital?  When I was doing research on hospitals in Algona, I came across an article mentioning a hospital there and made up my mind that someday I was going to dig a little deeper.  I have discovered that it all came about because of well-loved physician J. W. McCreery.

From "Whittemore, Iowa 100 Years 1878-1978"

John W. McCreery was born near Dana, Iowa in 1877 to Scotch-Irish parents.  While still a young boy his family moved to Churdan where he grew up.  He received his medical degree from Drake University in 1898.  That same year he married Elizabeth Chalus who was described as a “petite French beauty” from Clare, Iowa.  He practiced medicine in Pioneer for one year before moving to Whittemore in 1900.  It would be his home for the next 49 years.

Whittemore Champion
December 7, 1906

The doctor hung out his shingle in an office over the Lien Drug Store on Broad Street.  He charged 50 cents for office calls and $1 for home visits in town.  Calls in the country cost $2 and were made with a horse and buggy over rough country roads which were markedly worse in winter and early spring.  He owned one team of horses but often had to rent a fresh team if he had to make a second call the same day.  He would charge $10 for an obstetrical call in the country which included the $2 visit fee.  If he had to rent a team, he would pay $4 so his profit margin was pretty slim, especially considering that labor and delivery could take 14 hours or more.

A doctor had to be prepared for almost anything.  On call 24 hours a day, he often delivered babies by the light of a kerosene lamp and performed surgeries such as appendectomies and tonsillectomies in his office or the homes of patients. Winter travel could be harrowing and was often by sleigh or bobsled.  Dr. McCreery covered a territory that extended in a ten mile radius around Whittemore.  He often saw patients in Fenton, Lotts Creek and Fairville.  In 1911 he purchased a Model T to replace the horse and buggy which made his traveling much easier.

On November 16, 1901, the McCreerys welcomed a daughter, Ruth Aileen, into the world.  Ruth grew to be a happy and cheerful child with a ready smile. The summer following her fifth birthday, she contracted measles from which it seemed she could not recover.  Despite the best medical care obtainable, she died from tubercular meningitis on August 9, 1907.  Shortly thereafter, the McCreerys moved to another house.  The memories of the home where Ruth had grown up must have been too much to bear.  This would not end up being their last move.

In 1912, the residence of Thomas Carmody came on the market.  Carmody was a cashier for the Whittemore State Bank and active in the community.  This spacious dwelling was built in 1901 at a cost of $2,000.  It was teasingly referred to as the “Blarney Castle” due to its size.  The elegant home contained all the most modern conveniences including steam heat and gas lights.  Located at the corner of Broad and Third Street in Whittemore, it was within very easy walking distance of Dr. McCreery’s office.

The Carmody/McCreery house in 2018

By this time the McCreerys had added another daughter to their family.  Born in August of 1911, Catherine brought new joy to the couple.  Their house was once again filled with the sounds of growing, happy little girl.

To help care for Catherine and the large home, the McCreerys employed area girls as domestics.  The Roeber family had come to Whittemore from Germany.  One of their daughters, Anna, came to live with the McCreerys as a housekeeper.  At around 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 20, 1915, Anna rose and began to start a fire in the kitchen stove.  Mrs. McCreery and young Catherine were out of town and Dr. McCreery was asleep upstairs.  Anna was using kerosene to start the fire.  When the fire flared, flames caused the can to explode suddenly, scattering blazing oil over the girl’s clothing and the kitchen around her.

Anna ran from the home with her clothing ablaze and down the street, apparently headed to her own home.  A neighbor saw her, grabbed a horse blanket and smothered the flames, but not before she incurred horrible burns.  Meanwhile, Dr. McCreery, hearing the commotion downstairs, hurriedly dressed and ran downstairs to find the kitchen on fire and Anna nowhere to be found.  Paying no heed to the fire, he ran from the house to find her.  The firemen were called once Anna had been found.  Dr. Cretzmeyer was called from Algona to assist McCreery in ministering to the patient whose pain and suffering was intense.  There was little they could do due to the severity of her wounds and she died shortly after three o’clock that afternoon. 

Headline from
Kossuth County Advance
June 23, 1915

Sadness once again filled the McCreery household.  They considered the young woman a member of their own family and her loss from an accident that occurred in their home was devastating.  As for their house, damage had been contained to the kitchen.  Although the entire room was charred, it was theorized that it did not spread to other areas of the house because with all the windows and doors shut there was little or no draft.  Dr. and Mrs. McCreery remained close to the Roeber family and another daughter, Emma, would work for them for over 40 years.

It was the next year that Dr. McCreery decided to build an office with a garage on the lot adjacent to his house on the west.  By 1917 he realized that there was a true need for hospital beds in the community and so he converted the garage to a 3-bed hospital.  Nurse Ella Burke was placed in charge of the facility.  He installed the latest equipment including an x-ray machine.  The newspapers are filled with articles of patients who spent time in McCreery’s hospital.  There was seldom a time when the beds were not occupied.

The McCreery office/hospital in 2018

The most difficult years of the physician’s practice were 1918 to 1920 during the flu epidemic which swept across the nation.  McCreery later recalled that he often went 24 hours without meals and 36 without sleep in order to care for his patients. 

Dr. McCreery was known to be utterly honest.  If he felt he could not help a patient he quickly referred them to a specialist.  A physician from Mayo Clinic stated that they had never known the doctor to make an error in diagnosis of a patient.  Quite a recognition for a small town doctor.

Once again tragedy visited the McCreery home.  In November of 1924 Catherine became ill with gastro-enteritis, also known as intestinal flu.  Despite the care and consultation of many area physicians, she died at the age of 13.  Her obituary stated, “No death ever upset this community in such a manner as did the death of this estimable child.  She had a very keen insight into what was right and wrong and always to be found in the right.  There was not a selfish thing about the girl, in fact, she was generous to a fault.  She always wanted to do something for those who were in need.  She was very fond of little children and usually had a few of them around her wherever she happened to be, in her home, on the street, at school.”

On the morning of her funeral, her classmates at the Presentation Academy marched to her home and accompanied the body to the church.  Other pupils lined the three blocks from her home to the church.  Following services at St. Michael’s church, Catherine was buried next to her sister Ruth at the parish cemetery.  It must have been particularly heartbreaking for the doctor who saved so many others but was unable to save his own daughter.

The good doctor was known for his generosity.  He did little to collect what he was owed by widows or young couples with money troubles.  It was estimated that he had over $40,000 on the books during the years of the Great Depression, most of which was forgiven and forgotten.  He had a special love for children.  Every child who left his office received a nickel to buy an ice cream cone. 

As years passed, Dr. McCreery’s own health began to fail.  Diabetes and heart disease took their toll.  In 1944 he suffered a heart attack.  His recovery took four months after which he returned to answering calls any time of the day or night.  His dedication to the community did not go unnoticed. 

Whittemore Champion
September 25, 1946

In 1948 a celebration of his 50 years was hosted by the Whittemore Community Club.  Over a thousand friends and patients turned out to reminisce and congratulate the doctor.  The highlight of the evening was the presentation of a new Buick automobile to him.  During his comments, he stated that he felt as though he could continue practicing another 50 years.

McCreery kept the same pace with office hours from 8 to 6.  He continued to deliver babies and was on call 24/7.  On Tuesday, February 1, 1949, even though he himself was not feeling well, he kept all his appointments and saw all patients who needed his attention.  The following day his own illness forced him to remain in bed.  His faithful nurse, Ella Burke, who had worked for him for over 30 years stopped in to see him.  He sent her to the office for some medicine.  As she approached his bedroom on her way back she heard him breathing heavily and then entered the suddenly quiet room.  Dr. McCreery had breathed his last.

His funeral service was held the following Saturday morning with four priests presiding.  A huge crowd attended with the overflow mourners being seated in the Presentation Academy hall. 

Dr. McCreery was the last resident physician for the town of Whittemore.  The hospital closed along with his office.  His wife continued to live in their large home with Emma Roeber as her housekeeper. Mrs. McCreery quietly passed away on April 23, 1956 after suffering a stroke.

The good doctor left quite a legacy behind.  He delivered over 5,000 babies during his career and lost only five mothers in childbirth.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a director of the Whittemore State Bank and served as a city councilman.  He was also a staunch supporter of the new St. Ann’s Hospital which he did live to see completed.

His obituary contained the following tribute: “Those who profess to know say that no man is irreplaceable.  They are so wrong.  No one will ever replace Doctor McCreery in the affections of the people of this community, nor will a finer physician and friend ever be found in a country doctor.”

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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THE PLANTATION BALLROOM

Growing up in the 1950s with older sisters and brothers, I heard a lot about the Plantation Ballroom but don’t remember ever being there.  A few years ago my mother-in-law shared some photos of the ballroom with me.  I came across them again recently and my curiosity got the better of me—I needed to find out more.  While technically located in Palo Alto County (albeit right on the west side of the road that runs along the dividing line), I wanted to include the story of the ballroom on my blog because it was enjoyed by so many Kossuth County residents.

How It Began

H. R. “Hitchy” Pettit and his wife, the former Elvira Wehrspann, loved to dance.  They attended dances at many different ballrooms while dating and in the early days of their marriage.  They had been married on June 29, 1934, in St. Luke’s Church at Fairville and settled on the Wehrspann family farm where they began to raise their family. 

Three miles down the road from their home was a quiet, wooded area which the Pettits drove by frequently.  They often commented that it would be a good location for a ballroom.  In the mid-1940s, the property, which belonged to the estate of Jim Higgins, came on the market.  Despite having five young children and no experience managing a ballroom or restaurant, the young couple took a leap of faith and purchased the ten acre tract which included this site and made plans to build.

The cost to build the 234 x 50 foot structure housing the ballroom was estimated at $30,000, but by the time it was completed and fully equipped, the cost had more than tripled to $100,000.  No architect for this project – the Pettits traveled to every ballroom for miles around and listed the best features of each.  Elvira then took a simple tablet and drew the plans that later became the Plantation Ballroom.

The building contained the ballroom, dining room, kitchen, a caretaker’s apartment, and a basement used for storage.  Glass brick lined the entrance doors.  The dance floor itself was made of white maple and was 60 x 140 feet.  It was lined on the north and south with booths on raised platforms. Modern fluorescent three-color alternating indirect lighting was installed above the booths in the ballroom.  Just beyond the entrance were additional booths on two different levels.  The grounds included a large parking area and the Pettits added a trap shooting range and a park for picnickers.

The name of the facility came about as a joke by the family.  Whenever anyone came to see Hitchy during the construction, he was usually down at the site.  The caller would be told that he was down “on the plantation” and the name stuck.

Due to the isolated location, many persons scoffed at the couple and nicknamed the site “Pettit’s Folly.”  The last laugh was on them, however, as the facility became a phenomenal success.

Grand Opening

West Bend Journal, September 16, 1948

The grand opening took place on September 19, 1948 with more than 1,300 people in attendance.  Elvira, who had only cooked for her family in the past, became adept at feeding hundreds at a time.  Their reputation for serving great food spread, leading to many large groups scheduling events.  It became a family affair with all five children working there at one time or another as well as Elvira’s mother, Clara Fisher, who operated the dishwasher for many years.  William Kollasch, a young man who grew up on a neighboring farm, began working for them at the age of 20 and helped with management and operation.  Over the years, many community members found work there including high school students who served as waitresses.

No liquor was sold at The Plantation but that did not mean it was not present.  Patrons were allowed to bring their own supply and the booths had cubbyholes built into the underside of the tables in which to store your bottle.  They sold 7-Up in what they called “set ups” for 10 cents.  The staff monitored ages though and didn’t condone or allow underage drinking.

My husband's grandmother, Susie Kramer, second from
right, and her sisters at the Plantation

The musical talent which played at the Plantation was well known.  Frequent performers were Elmer Scheid, Spike Haskell, and the Jolly Lumberjacks.  Dick Dale sang there many times with the Six Fat Dutchman.  Lawrence Welk played his last date there before leaving for California where he filmed his very popular television program.

From Big Band to polka to swing to 50’s rock and roll – The Plantation Ballroom hosted it all.  The dances drew large crowds.  Various techniques were used to get the crowd on the floor and included change-your-partner numbers, dance contests and the tried-and-true “Hokey Pokey.” 

In addition to weekly dances, numerous other events were held at the Plantation.  Senators Hubert Humphrey and William Proxmire were among politicians who spoke at political rallies there; style shows, proms, school and club banquets and large organization meetings also were held at the facility.  Of course, it was a popular spot for wedding receptions and dinners as well. 

Fire!!!

Following a Christmas party for 150 for Weidenhoff Corporation of Algona held on December 16, 1961, the Pettits had cleaned up and left for home at 1:15 a.m.  Three hours later, a trucker passing by on Highway 18 discovered the fire and drove to the light plant in Whittemore, reporting the blaze to the night watchman there.  The Whittemore fire department rushed to the scene, but the entire structure was engulfed in flames and nothing could be done.  It appeared that the fire had burned inside for some time before exploding through the ceiling.  Highway traffic was lower that night due to a heavy snowfall which reduced the chances of an earlier discovery.

Everything was destroyed including an electric organ and grand piano which had just been purchased.  The Pettits were devastated.  Although they were insured by Lloyds of London, Hitchy did not believe it would completely cover the loss. Ultimately, they decided not to rebuild and so the Plantation Ballroom became a memory.  The property is now designated as a wildlife refuge by the Palo Alto County DNR.

The Plantation site in 2015

Only Memories Remain

As the years passed by, the Pettits continued their farming operation and their bulldozing and trucking service.  They were very active in their church.  In 1987 Elvira passed away after an illness with cancer and Hitchy followed her two years later.

The Plantation Ballroom still holds a special place in many people’s hearts.  It was there that many young couples met and danced for the first time, including my husband’s parents, Marvin and Irene (Eischeid) Kramer.  If the Plantation had never existed, would they have ever met?  It makes me consider how different my life might have been.

This post is dedicated to my father-in-law, Marvin Kramer, who passed away December 21, 2015.  May he rest in peace.

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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A TALE OF TWO CASUALTIES - FATHER AND SON

During this month of November, I want my posts to honor some of the many veterans from our county who have served our nation.  This post is dedicated to a father and son.

As a young girl growing up in Algona, I very vividly remember hearing of the death of Bill Higgins while he was serving in the Vietnam conflict.  Bill had graduated from Garrigan High School in 1961, just a year after my oldest brother, and was only 26 at the time of his death.  He was the fifth Vietnam casualty from Kossuth County.  He was survived by his mother, Dorothy (McEnroe) Higgins, for whom his death came not only as a crushing blow, but also a cruel reminder of the earlier loss of her husband, Captain William Bigley Higgins, during World War II.  This is their story.

Captain William B. Higgins 

Captain Higgins was born in Whittemore, Iowa, September 30, 1914, the son of William and Elizabeth (Bigley) Higgins.  He graduated from the Presentation Academy and then attended Creighton University at Omaha studying journalism.  After a short stint as a linotype operator, he purchased the Whittemore Champion which he published until he was inducted into the service in March of 1942 with a rating of second lieutenant in the reserve officers’ corps.  He spent time in Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Adair, Oregon, (where he was promoted to first lieutenant); and Camp Shelby, Mississippi.  In July of 1944, he was home on furlough and spent time with his wife and little son, William Patrick, who had been born May 28, 1943, while the family was in Mississippi.  Dorothy and her son had moved back home to be near relatives while William was overseas.  Following the furlough he was ordered to report to Camp Meade, Maryland, and went immediately overseas to take part in the Normandy campaign.  He was promoted to Captain just prior to leaving the states.

A member of the 69^th Infantry Division of the Army, Captain Higgins was in Germany at the time of his death.  A letter from the front gave details of his death: 

     “We were near Schlieden, Germany, at the time of his death, and we had our Company C. P. set up in a house.  We had not been receiving much enemy fire up to the 11^th of February.
     On this morning, about 10:55, two shells went over the house, landing to our rear.  The captain was changing his socks at the time, and the 1^st sergeant was sitting at his desk in the same room. The phone rang, and it was the colonel seeking information regarding the shells.  The 1^st sergeant got up, went into a rear room, and looked out the window to see where the shells were bursting.

      While the 1^st sergeant was standing there, a fatal shell came in, hitting the side of the house and bursting right into the C. P. room, throwing steel and dirt all over the room.

     Capt. Higgins died instantly, and the 1^st sergeant received many slight wounds when steel flew through the open door towards him.”

The body of Captain Higgins was originally interred in the Henri-Chapelle military cemetery in Belgium.  Several years after the war ended, his body was brought home and buried in St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Whittemore.

A few months after the Captain’s death, his widow was notified that he had been posthumously awarded the silver star for gallantry in action in a battle which occurred just a few days before his death.  The citation read as follows:

  “On 2 February, 1945, Captain Higgins, commanding Company “H,” with complete disregard for constant fire from two enemy tanks covering the approaches to ***, located positions in advance of his own lines and moved the guns into position before final assault on the town began.

    During ensuing attack, his example of cool and aggressive action under fire was an inspiration to all *** troops.  As a result of the close support provided by Company H’s machine-gun fire, the attack was successfully secured.

    The gallantry, leadership, and disregard for personal safety displayed by this officer reflect highest honor upon himself and the United States army.”

Lieutenant William P. Higgins

His son, Bill, grew up in the Algona, was an outstanding football player for the Garrigan Golden Bears, and a good scholar.  He attended Creighton University in Omaha for two years and then graduated from the University of Iowa, College of Law on June 9, 1967.  Prior to graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and received his commission as second lieutenant.  He passed the bar exam before leaving for duty.  Lt. Higgins took his flight training at Pensacola, Florida, completing his first solo flight in a helicopter on May 16, 1969.

The lieutenant was then stationed at the Marine base in Santa Ana, California, until October 12, 1969, when he was sent to Vietnam.  The fatal crash which took his life occurred on December 28^th of that year.  A letter from Lt. Col. C. R. Dunbaugh recounted what happened.

    “I had the pleasure on several occasions to have him assigned as my co-pilot.  A more competent, sincere officer couldn’t be asked for.  Earlier the same day of the accident he had flown with me for a short flight.

     “The mishap occurred at night.  The flight was from Hue Phu Bai to the north of Danang to Marble Mountain.  They were under positive radar contact and were flying at 3000 feet of altitude.  Radar observed the aircraft turn to the right of course and fly toward a 3900 foot high mountain.  Frantic calls were made on all available radios from the radar controllers, but no response was observed in the direction the aircraft was flying.  The wreckage was found at the 3000 foot elevation on the side of the mountain.  Search aircraft were immediately dispatched but due to the mountainous terrain and the cloudiness the wreckage was not found until the next day.  The accident board arrived at the conclusion that the aircraft flew into the mountain.  Enemy fire was not a factor. . . Lt. Butler was the aircraft commander and Bill his co-pilot on this flight.”

The body of Lt. William P. Higgins arrived home on Saturday, January 10, 1970.  His funeral was held the following Tuesday and he was laid to rest beside his father, Captain William B. Higgins, at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Whittemore.

Epilogue

Young Bill would not have had to enter the military.  Because his father had died in the service of the nation, he was exempt from the draft.  However, the call of patriotism was too strong for him to ignore.  His mother later said, “He felt it was his duty.  He wanted to fly.  He wanted to do some things before he sat down at a desk.  I don’t think anybody could have talked him out of it.”

Dorothy Higgins passed away in 2002.  She never remarried and Bill was her only child.

Until next time,

KC History Buff

  

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