1942-1946: Bushnell General Hospital

Mountain States Telephone Company published a small booklet in 1945 to help patients and visitors to Bushnell Hospital. It includes a brief history of the hospital, a map, histories of Utah and Brigham City, photos, a bus schedule (the route went from 6th North Main to Bushnell and back), and phone call rates to various cities.

To the dismay of every other town in Utah, Brigham City won the Bushnell Hospital by purchasing the land and giving it to the Federal Government. Named for tuberculosis specialist Colonel George. E. Bushnell, Bushnell Hospital specialized in plastic and maxillofacial surgery, treating amputees, tropical diseases, and psychiatric problems, and trained medical staff to go overseas.

Patients were principally from Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona to make it easier for patients’ families to visit. The Bushnell Motel was built by the army to accommodate visiting families, but local residents also opened their homes to the visitors.

The adjacent prisoner of war camp held 300 German and Italian prisoners. Prisoners worked as farm laborers in the area and at Bushnell Hospital. A special ward at Bushnell was equipped to treat up to forty POWs.