By Bill Pumford, Image from the ROWHS Collection

TITLE: SANTA ANITA HOSPITAL IN LAKE ARROWHEAD: In 1946 the Los Angeles Turf Club, Inc., owners of the Santa Anita Park racetrack, purchased Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding property. During the Turf Club’s ownership emphasis was placed not on selling lots but rather on making improvements to the area and donating land and funds to organizations and philanthropic groups. One of those projects was the building of a hospital where land and funds were donated to build and equip the Santa Anita Hospital, this week’s image. In April of 1950 a contract was awarded to the firm of Bakker and Branham of San Bernardino. The hospital opened in June of 1951 and cost a reported $450,000. The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange managed the hospital with a staff of six sisters supervised by Sister Mary Alma. The operation of this hospital was not the first experience in healthcare for the Sisters. They had operated hospitals in Eureka, Santa Rosa, Los Banos, Arcadia, Los Angeles, and Pasadena in addition to Lubbock, Texas. Over the decades this organization had a reputation for cost-effective operation and quality patient care. At the time of the opening the hospital had 30 beds, facilities for 50 patients, two operating rooms, ambulance service, and an emergency room. In 1956 Sister Alma formed the Hospital Auxiliary which consisted of volunteers who helped around the hospital and later began raising funds. Despite their best efforts the Sisters were unable to make a financial go of the hospital and in 1964 the hospital was sold to a non-profit organization. In 1967 the Santa Anita Hospital became a tax-based district hospital, part of the San Bernardino Mountains Community Hospital District and in 1968 the hospital changed its name to Mountains Community Hospital. Since then, the hospital has expanded and continues to offer quality service to the mountain residents.