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 dwtaylor999
  
Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male
 |  | When doctors made house calls
< on 4/18/2011 3:16 AM >
|  | | | I've been working on an article for a local historical society on a gentleman who's name kept cropping up during some of my research. I thought I'd put some photographs with what I have an post it.
Dr. Ira Mullins was born in Virginia in 1872 and like so many, came to Hominy Oklahoma in 1903 seeking opportunity in the newly settled lands. He was the first doctor in the area and was soon known as one of the best horse and buggy doctors in the state. As well as his practice, he also opened a drug store in 1904, which he later sold to B.L. Westbrook. These pictures were taken after Westbrook took over the drug store. The store can be seen on the far left of the first picture. The second is an interior shot.
The first school in Hominy was built in 1904 and was a subscription school, i.e. supported by paying for your child to attend. Dr. Mullins served as one of the founding members of its board. The small school remained in use as a school up until the 1920s. The old school was almost torn down in the 1980's, but local citizens rallied to preserve it. It now used as administrative offices for the school district.
Nobody seems to know why the 4 is backwards.
Dr Mullins was heavily involved with the building of the new public school in 1906. The school was opened in 1907 and boasted 10 teaching rooms, an assembly room, and 430 students. The building still stands.
As luck would have it, a young lady name Jettie Soute was thrown from her horse near the Arkansas River and Dr. Mullins was called to care for her. They fell in love and were married in October of 1906. They remained married for 56 years and during that time Jettie helped her husband care for the sick and injured. At this time, the closest hospital was in Oklahoma City, so their house was usually full of sick people. Many times they would need to load up and travel muddy country roads to perform operations under really trying conditions and usually with just the light from a coal oil lamp.
In 1906 when the town was plotted, lots were put up for sale, and Dr. Mullins was one of the first to purchase one. He recruited the same men who built the new high school to build a new hospital. Apparently, he was very attentive to detail looked over each and every piece of lumber and nail used to construct the hospital. On the second floor in the northeast corner there was a small rounded room, which was the operating room. Though it didn't exist at the time, Dr. Mullins planned ahead and the building was wired for electricity and plumbed for water, so it was an easy hook up when the facilities became available. This is an old photo of the hospital. I'm told that the man show is Dr. Mullins, and that Jettie, his wife, is the lady on the far left.
The old hospital still stands and is now a private residence. Note the round operating room still exists.
In 1920, Hominy's second hospital was built, boasting a 26 bed capacity. Once the new hospital was fully operational, Dr. Mullins and Jettie made the original hospital their home and lived there the remainder of their lives. The Hominy City Hospital was closed in 1990 and sold. The purchasers began the process of turning the old hospital into a private residence, but it appears the property is now abandoned. Ironically, the town now has no doctors, the nearest being in a town 10 miles away.
Appears someone removed the dedication plaque.
The room at the top wasn't originally part of the building. It was added by whomever bought the property.
I did enter the property, but since it had been in the process of converting it to a home, little of the original setup remained. I would really like to have gotten into the place before the "modernization".
A few of the rooms had yet to be "converted" and still had some of the old fixtures and plaster.
My trusty Ford.
I'm surprised the ghost hunters aren't all over this one. You KNOW a lot of people died here.
Dr. Mullins was always very active in the community serving on the school boards of all the Hominy schools and represented Hominy at the state level educational meetings. When the new high school was built in 1924, he was serving as the school board president. During this time, he adopted and raised an orphaned nephew, also named Ira. This school was converted to a middle school in 1971 and graduated it's last class in 1999.
Dr. Ira Mullins came from a era when being a doctor truly meant serving your fellow man. He passed away in February of 1961 at the age of 89 in the community he was devoted to and the town he helped establish.
Ruins, the fate of all cities. |
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Captain_Slow
  
The infamous Buttram Manfist
Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male
Obviously capable of mediocre things.
| | Re: When doctors made house calls
<Reply # 1 on 4/18/2011 5:40 AM >
| | | | Word up Ranger owners! I love mine, one of the most sturdy, inconspicuous vehicles I've ever owned.
Beautiful set, awesome story.
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pinkmeowcats
Location: Oklahoma, US
Gender: Female
| | Re: When doctors made house calls
<Reply # 2 on 4/18/2011 11:34 PM >
| | | | As always, awesome.
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