Welcome to the Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte Memorial Hospital, a landmark of both architectural and cultural significance located in Walthill, Nebraska. This building stands as a tribute to Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte, the first Native American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. Born in 1865 into the Omaha tribe, Susan LaFlesche Picotte overcame numerous barriers to become a physician. Educated at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, she returned to her community on the Omaha Reservation with a dream: to build a hospital that served her people.
In 1913, this vision became a reality, largely due to her tireless fundraising efforts. Remarkably, the hospital was constructed without federal funding, a feat uncommon at that time. Instead, support came from philanthropic sources, including a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall. Designed by architect William L. Steele, the hospital was built in the American Craftsman style, with its low-pitched roof and wide eaves, representing both functionality and beauty.
Although Dr. Picotte passed away just two years after its completion, her legacy endured. The hospital operated until the 1940s, serving as a beacon of healthcare on the reservation. Since then, it has housed various community services, including Mi’Jhu’Wi Ministries. In recent years, efforts led by Picotte’s descendants and community leaders have sought to restore the building as a medical clinic, museum, and cultural center. This endeavor underscores the hospital’s ongoing importance to the Omaha people.
Dr. Picotte’s story is one of resilience and dedication. Despite her own health struggles, she often traveled by horse and buggy to care for her patients, embodying the true spirit of service. Her pioneering work paved the way for future generations, making the hospital not just a structure, but a legacy of hope and healing.
