Central Maine Sanatorium

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Central Maine Sanitorium
Established 1909
Opened 1914
Closed 1970
Current Status Closed
Building Style Cottage Plan
Location Fairfield, ME
Alternate Names
  • Chase Memorial Sanatorium
  • Central Maine Sanatarium



History

The Chase Memorial Sanatorium opened in 1910 on Atwood Mountain in Fairfield, Maine as a hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. What began as little more than a tent city, the treatment center constructed wooden buildings in 1912 which were destroyed by fire in 1913. In time with new construction the hospital grew to include a children's section and a surgical wing.

In 1915, the state took over both the Chase Memorial Sanatorium and the Maine State Sanatorium in Hebron, Maine renaming them the Central Maine Sanatorium and Western Maine Sanatorium. Patients who were the sickest went to Central Maine. Those for whom a cure was deemed probable were assigned to the Hebron hospital. A third tuberculosis hospital was also authorized at this time in Presque Isle and named the Northern Maine Sanatorium.

The Central Maine Sanatorium closed in 1970 and was the state’s last TB sanatorium. A portion of it later became the Pleasant Height Nursing Home, closed since 2001.