Important Dates in Institution History
| 1832 | First County House opened- Hamtramck Township. J.P. Cooley appointed “Keeper.” |
| 1834 | Reverend Martin Kundig appointed Superintendent of County House. |
| 1839 | Poor House moved to Nankin Township – Black Horse Tavern – (Second County House). |
| 1840’s | First temporary building erected to segregate insane inamtes. |
| 1843 | Black Horse Tavern sold for $2 by Board but continued to be used as quarters for Keeper. |
| 1846 | First birick building erected and known as the Third County House. Black Horse Tavern razed. |
| 1856 | Brick extension to the east added to the Third County House. |
| 1858 | West wing added to the Third County House. Seperate school building constructed |
| 1865 | Keeper’s residence erected in front of Third County House. |
| 1868 | First asylum building erected. |
| 1872 | Name changed to Wayne County Alms House and Keeper’s Residence enlarged in front of the Third County House. |
| 1876 | East and west wings added to asylum building and wing of Third County House raised to three stories. |
| 1880 | Second school building constructed. |
| 1881 | First medical physician, Dr. E.O. Bennet, employed as Medical Superintendent of the asylum- County House medical work also part of his duties. |
| 1883 | Dr. Burdeno employed as assistant physician with residence in the asylum (August 8/December 1, 1884). |
| 1884 | Dr. Alfred Zimmerman employed as non-resident physician (County House and all medical and surgical work of the institution and assistant to Dr. Bennet). |
| 1886 | Name changed to Wayne County House. |
| 1887 | Shackles permanently removed from mental patients and institution’s fire department formerly established- west wing torn down and new wings constructed to Third County House. |
| 1889 | Dr. Zimmerman leaves- Dr. Bennett becomes sole medical officer of both institutions. |
| 1891 | Dr. Marker appointed to assume charge on the retirement of Dr. Gil Martin (February 4, 1891) as asylum physician. |
| On February 28, Dr. Marker became assistant physician of County House and Asylum. | |
| On May 15, Dr. Marker appointed “Physician of the County House” effective July 1, 1891. | |
| 1893 | Building F(C) “Women’s New Building” constructed. |
| Cady Farm purchased for mental hospital. | |
| Dr. Marker appointed Assistant Medical Superintendent of the Asylum, June 2, 1893. | |
| 1894 | U.S. Post Office established on grounds and designated as “Eloise.” |
| 1895 | Dr. Marker appointed house physician as well as Assisant Medical Superintendent of the Asylum, June 10, 1895. |
| 1896 | Center of County House removed and new center completed- renamed Fourth County House. First medical x-rays taken by Institution. |
| 1899 | Asylum building center rebuilt. |
| 1900 | Dr. Bennett resigns after 19 years of service. |
| Dr. Marker succeeds to Superintendency of the asylum upon the retirement of Dr. Bennett. | |
| 1902 | Dr. Marker appointed Chief Medical Officer of both institutions, June 3, 1902. |
| 1903 | Building G(D) “Woman’s Insane Hospital” constructed. |
| T.B. tents erected. | |
| 1905 | East and west wings of asylum building redone and retitled to “B” Building. |
| Dr. Marker appointed Keeper of the County House. | |
| 1906 | Dr. Marker made executive officer of the Board of Eloise- first single executive for entire institution and beginning of General Superintendency, March 7, 1906. |
| 1911 | Tuberculosis Sanitorium building erected and established. |
| 1912 | Eloise organized as a schol district. |
| 1914 | Infirmary Building B(C) opened. |
| 1915 | Building H(E) opened. |
| 1921 | Dr. Joseph E. Bennett appointed Superintendent. |
| 1922 | Building I(F) opened. |
| 1923 | First professional social worker employed. |
| 1925 | Infirmary Building A(D) opened. |
| Building H(E) constructed. | |
| 1927 | Malarial treatment for paresis and insulin shock began for mental patients. |
| 1928 | “L” Building (I) opened. |
| 1929 | Switchboard installed in “B” Building. |
| Building M(J) opened. | |
| Dr. T.K. Gruber appointed Superintendent. | |
| 1930 | O.T. Program established. |
| Old Amdministration and Chapel Building razed, formerly “A” Building. | |
| 1931 | “N” Building under construction. |
| “D” Building under construction. | |
| 1932 | All building letter designations changed to effect order by location on grounds. |
| 1933 | William J. Seymour Hospital opened in remodeled “C” Building. |
| 1935 | Establishment of Parole Clinic in Detroit for mental patients. |
| 1940 | Superintendents of the Poor retitled to County Board of Institutions. |
| New auditorium (Gruber) completed. | |
| 1943 | Parole Clinic name changed to Consultation Center. |
| 1945 | Name changed to Wayne County General Hospital and Infirmary at Eloise, Michigan. |
| 1948 | Mental Hygiene Clinic established and located in Detroit. |
| Name changed to Wayne County General Hospital. | |
| 1949 | Dr. Roland N. Athay appointed Superintendent. |
| 1953 | Dr. S.D. Jacobson appointed Superintendent. |
| 1960 | Affiliation of General Hospital with University of Michigan and Wayne State University Medical Schools. |
| 1962 | New General Hospital building opened on north side of grounds. |
| 1964 | Act 54 passed and implemented by State for enlargement of pyschiatric service. |
| 1965 | Dr. H. J. Wells appointed Superintendent. |
| 1967 | Psychiatric Hospital no longer xonsidered part of State Hospital System and licensed as a private hospital. |
| 1973 | Transfer of 900 mental patients to State Hospitals. |
| 1974 | New Long Term Care Facility building opened on north side of grounds, north of General Hospital Building. |
| Mr. Symuel Smith appointed Executive Director of General Hospital and Long Term Care Facility. | |
| Dr. Morteza Minui appointed Director of Psychiatric Hospital. | |
| Each hospital recognized as separate adminstrative entities. | |
| 1975 | Pyschiatric Hospital declared a seperate County department under the County Board of Institutions. Official names become Wayne County General Hospital and Wayne County Psychiatric Hospital. |
| 1977 | “D” Building leased to State of Michigan for use as psychiatric hospital. |
| 1978 | Dr. E.J. Conklin appointed Executive Adminsitrator of General Hospital. |
| Several buildings of psychiatric division transferred to Board of Auditors Jurisdiction as well as all surplus land south of Michigan Avenue. | |
| 1979 | Institution Laundry operation discontinued. |
| Psychiatric Hospital closed. | |
| Long Term Care Facility closed and building sold to State of Michigan. | |
| 1981 | “D” Building lease terminated with the State of Michigan and Building transferred to control of Board of Auditors; Institution closed. |
| 1985 | Most of Institution Buildings razed. |
| 1990’s | Remaining 902 acres north of Michigan Avenue sold to Ford and their developers; some also went towards building the Inkster Valley Golf Course. |
| 1999 | Wayne County General Hospital torn down. |
| 2003 | Only four of the original buildings are left standing today: “D” (Kay Beard) Building, the Powerhouse, the Bakery and Commissary, and the Fire Hall, plus a 200 feet high smokestack that still reads “ELOISE. |
[ This information presented in whole from “A History of the Wayne County Infirmary, Psychiatric, and General Hospital Complex at Eloise, Michigan” by Alvin C. Clark; pages 134 through 137. ]