Woman's Hospital

 

 

Built in 1968, the original Woman's Hospital on Airline Highway near Goodwood was one of the first women's specialty hospitals in the country. Anecdotally, half of Baton Rouge was born there and/or gave birth there. 

 

Photo via Google Street View. Alas I didn't get the exterior shot I needed.

 

 

On August 5, 2012 all patients—61 women and newborns and 60 NICU babies—were transported by ambulance to the new campus six miles south on Airline. Once the final patients were transported, this location closed.

 

The front section around the main entrance is now the headquarters for the Baton Rouge Police Department. The rest of the building has spent most of the intervening years deteriorating in the dark. 

Last November, while in town to promote my book, I got to check out the former Woman's Hospital. There have been other shut-down hospitals in Baton Rouge that I could have explored since ABR began, but because I'm not trying to get arrested, shot, or otherwise injured, I love getting a tour.  So I owe a great big thank you to my benefactress Melinda Kyzar, who set up this one. 

Although it's been decommissioned for more than six years, the entire facility is graffiti-free, vandalism-free, and mostly litter-free. These exceedingly rare abandoned building qualities are found exclusively in abandoned buildings attached to police headquarters. 

This article indicates that this section of the facility will eventually be demolished. But in the meanwhile, it sometimes serves as a site for police training. And so while litter is minimal, the most common form on lower levels is rubber bullets and their casings. 

Look! It's the Laurel/Yanny meme spotted IRL ^

Once in awhile on the first and second floor I'd round a dark corner to find an active shooter, like Winona here. 

 

Now for the rest of the photos, from the upper floors, mostly without comment. 

 

 

The beginnings of a mold problem on the top floor, next to an open window.

 

The interior looked like it was updated in the 80s-90s. One of the only remaining touches of 1968 were built-in cabinets like the one above. 

 

Robot face in the industrial dishwashing zone.

 

 

Rubber bullets racks -n- rust

 

 

More cop training- a wood pallet obstacle course is pictured above. There was also a human-length wood box that I did not open. 

Below, the roof has begin to give in, with multiple leaks affecting the top floor. 

As we ascended one pitch-black stairwell early on, one of our guides mentioned that the building is supposed to be haunted, but he didn't give any specifics. However, I noticed two curious things. The top floor was cold. If anything, it should've been warmer than the other floors. When we came to an open window, the air coming in was noticeably warmer.

Also, when I was going through unintentionally taken live photos from (I believe) the second floor, I discovered one where a white streak moves through the foreground. It's probably caused by the flash lighting up something small that was going through the air (but what?) or some reflection effect. But I'll share it anyway for fun. I can't show the live feature here, but you can see a Boomerang of it in the Abandoned Baton Rouge Instagram story, which I'll keep as a featured story on the ABR Instagram profile. 

Until the next time I make it down to Baton Rouge and can post again- Bye! 

 

 

 

Comments

[wendyvee]

As always, so jealous of the abandoned treasures that you get to visit. Watch on for Winona :)

[David Edward Cox]

I was born in the older part. At 4:15am on December 11,1975

[Renee]

The top floor was the surgical and oncology floor. Just FYI. 2nd had the adult ICU

[Lori R.]

I was born there like everyone else. It’s funny to think of going to work somewhere, doing something as mundane as writing on a white board, and your notes stay there forever.

[hudson c]

Hey Lori R, its interesting you say that because i've explored Lindey Boggs a few years back and the dry erase boards still bearing mundane notes next to an especially haunting date: August 29, 2005...

[CJ Broussard]

All four of my children were born here.

[Shane D]

I was born there on April 24, 1987, and now live in walker. I have family live on Sherwood Forrest

[Bib]

The MTV Scream uses the hospital in scenes during its series