Photographs of Thornton Hospitals in Missoula and Stevensville, Montana, circa 1910-1947

Overview of the Collection

Title
Photographs of Thornton Hospitals in Missoula and Stevensville, Montana
Dates
circa 1910-1947 (inclusive)
Quantity
5 photographs
Collection Number
Mss 832
Summary
The Photographs of Thornton Hospitals collection consists of images of the three Thornton hospital buildings in Stevensville and Missoula, Montana, and portraits of Dr. William Thornton and Dr. Charles Thornton.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Languages
visual

Historical NoteReturn to Top

William T. Thornton was born on December 28, 1877 in Washington Court House, Ohio. He graduated from medical school at the American Medical Missionary College in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1903 before moving to Stevensville, Montana, in 1907. In 1910, William built a private hospital in Stevensville, which became the first hospital in the Bitterroot Valley. He continued to operate this first hospital until he moved to Missoula in 1917 and established a new Thornton Hospital in the 500 block of South Third Street where he was joined in practice by his brother, Dr. Charles R. Thornton.

Charles Thornton was born on August 23, 1879 less than two years after his brother in Ohio. He also attended the American Medical Missionary College in Battle Creek before settling in Corvallis, Montana, where he opened a practice and became an expert in treating tick fever. When William Thornton opened Thornton Hospital in Missoula, Charles invested in it as well, becoming a co-owner less than a year after it opened.

By 1923, Thornton Hospital outgrew the building on Third Street, and the brothers built a new facility at 307 East Main Street (which later became the Missoula Public Library).

Dr. William Thornton died on April 28, 1943 in Missoula. After his brother's death, Dr. Charles Thornton decided to sell the hospital to the Memorial Hospital Association of Western Montana. The hospital's name was changed to Memorial Hospital, which later became Missoula Community Hospital. Charles Thornton moved to California after his retirement and died in February 1967 in Loma Linda. Missoula Community Hospital moved to its present-day campus in April of 1972.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Photographs of Thornton Hospitals collection consist of images of the three Thornton hospital buildings in Stevensville and Missoula, Montana, and two portraits of Dr. William and Dr. Charles Thornton. Thornton Hospital in Stevensville was operated by Dr. William Thornton between 1910 and 1917. Thornton Hospital on South Third Street in Missoula was operated by both brothers between 1918 and 1923. The third Thornton Hospital facility on Main Street in Missoula operated between 1923 and 1947 before it was sold to the Memorial Hospital Association of Western Montana.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

Photographs of Thornton Hospitals in Missoula and Stevensville, Montana, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by photo number.

Custodial History

The photographs in this collection were held by Missoula General Hospital until Karen Foster, an administrator of the hospital, donated them to Friends of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library in 1986.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Karen Foster, 1986.

Processing Note

The Archives assigned photograph numbers to the images in the late 1980s. In 2022, the photographs were processed as the Photographs of Thornton Hospitals in Missoula and Stevensville, Montana (Mss 832).

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
photo_number
85-0259 Thornton Hospital on South 3rd Street in Missoula, Montana circa 1918-1923
85-0260 Thornton Hospital on Main Street in Missoula, Montana circa 1923-1947
85-0261 Thornton Hospital in Stevensville, Montana circa 1910-1917
85-0262 Portrait of Dr. Charles R. Thornton, M.D. undated
85-0263 Portrait of Dr. William T. Thornton, M.D. undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Hospitals--Montana--Missoula--Photographs
  • Hospitals--Montana--Stevensville--Photographs

Personal Names

  • Thornton, Charles R., 1879-1967--Photographs
  • Thornton, William T., 1877-1943--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Thornton Hospital (Missoula, Mont.)
  • Thornton Hospital (Stevensville, Mont.)

Geographical Names

  • Missoula (Mont.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--Photographs
  • Stevensville (Mont.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--Photographs