The Women
In 1916, it was very unusual to have women doctors, even if they WERE Osteopathic physicians. But first, let's start with this wonderful old house:
|
I walked right by
this house for many years while going to school. I dont recall
ever walking on the same side of the street as the house. To me,
and many of the kids in the area, it was just "The Spook
House". Now I'm sorry I didnt have a chance to explore it
more, especially the inside just before they tore it down.
The house was at 311 Broad Street (now Leon Sullivan Way) and sat on
the corner. Across the street at one time was Roger Dean
Chevrolet. There were only 3 houses left on Broad Street when
this one was torn down. The two others were funeral homes, Simpson
Chandler and Harden & Harden.
|
THE HOUSES HISTORY
The house was built
by Dr. Baines, (later to have a street named after him ) in the
1890s. After he passed, the house went to his daughter
Alice. She had an elderly Aunt who lived in the house for many years
and if a boy hit a baseball into her yard, she ran out and grabbed it,
never to be seen again. By 1923, the house was rented out to two very
interesting women, who one of them lived in the house for 40 years, and
eventually rent free. So.... who were these women?
|
As
you can see, they both were both Osteopathic physicians. It appears
that they didn't meet until around 1918, and by 1923 had moved their
offices and living quarters to 311 Broad Street. Dont forget that
to be a professional woman at the turn of the Century was almost
unheard of, especially in the medical field. These women were
trailblazers. At that time, Broad Street was a beautiful tree lined
street with beautiful homes, and very few businesses.
|
THE FOLLOWING ARE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES THAT TOLD SOME OF THE STORY OF THESE TWO WOMEN:
As you can see, they had a very close relationship.
When Miss Baines, the owner of the house died, she left an interesting Will...
|
Then, in 1959, Dr Ailes died:
|
 
In 1968, close to the time the house would be torn down, Dr Russel, now 86 years old moved to Ohio to be with her niece.
And so ends the story of two interesting professional women who lived their entire successful lives in Charleston WV.
|
As you can see,
the house DID look very spooky in its final days. By the time
this photo was taken, the new Heart O Town Motor Hotel was built on
Washington Street. The house property was a parking lot, and then
the Post Office bought it where it's still a parking lot today.
|
( To this day, Osteopathic physicians are considered by many to be Quacks. Read more here: )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathic_medicine_in_the_United_States
BACK
|