In November of 1735, two months after a decree which banned civilians from the Royal Hospital, a New Orleans sailor and shipbuilder named Jean Louis drew up his will bequeathing the bulk of his small estate "to serve in perpetuity to the founding of a hospital for the sick of the City of New Orleans." He died in January 1736, having laid the groundwork for a charity hospital.
In 1782 another wealthy benefactor, Don Andreas de Almonaster y Roxas, decided to rebuild the hospital after it was destroyed by a hurricane. After his death, his widow controlled the new hospital, but the declining treatment of patients resulted in the legislature wresting control in 1811.
Since its founding, Charity Hospital has undergone many different changes of name, location, building, funding, and management. This libguide hopes to show that colorful history.
image courtesy of the City Archives & Special Collections of the New Orleans Public Library
