Featuring Characters from Voices in the Sanitorium
Over a decade ago, I had a tea party with two of my best friends on the grounds of the former West Mountain Sanitarium located on the hillside above Scranton, Pennsylvania. Thus began my fascination with the history of tuberculosis and specifically the staff and patients who had once walked the hallways and pathways of the hospital and beautiful property.
Once a state of the art facility which brought lung specialists from all over the world who sought to model its practices, the West Mountain Sanitorium lay in ruins by the time we picnicked there. But there was something so peaceful about the place. I started imagining all the things I would do with the place — if I was a millionaire.
But alas, as a teacher married to a police officer, the next best thing was to write a novel about this treasure of urban decay — and include real characters whom I came to love and admire the more I investigated their lives.
Welcome to Character Café, beloved characters of Voices in the Sanitorium! Please introduce yourselves before we have an Irish tea.
Hiya, Amy! My name is Bridget. I owe you great thanks for bringing me to life on the pages of your novel. As a child, I could see the lights of the tuberculosis hospital on the mountain at night when the city was not very smoky and the trees were bare. I used to lay awake worried for the children who had consumption and could not be with their families. I never expected that one day I would be sent to stay there myself.
Hello. I’m Aislyn. You all know I would rather be back in Manhattan right now hanging with my friends. But finding the diary Bridget wrote in 1931 has reminded me not to be such a whiner. She let herself fall in love with the patients and the mountain itself rather than fixating on the fact that she could be dying. Besides, I can never say life near the ruins of the sanitarium is boring. All sorts of weird things have been happening ever since I bought Bridget’s diary at Ol’ Timey Trinkets.
Good evening, dear Amy and all of you fellow characters, readers, and writers. I am Richard B. Smith, but you can call me Dick Smith. Originally from the lovely town of Honesdale, PA, I was determined to become a famous playwright, composer, or movie producer, and I was on the fast track to achieving my dreams. I married the perfect helpmate, Jean, who was a big-city gal who spent much time in the theatre community, despite having trained to be a nurse. Just after our honeymoon, I fell prey to tuberculosis. How grateful I am to have found respite on West Mountain. And that Jean was able to become a nurse here in the hospital so that she can be with me. Dr. Wainright has even given me my own writing area looking over the city. I have already won some contests with my writing which is helping pay for my stay. Right now I am working on a poem that I have entitled “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” which was inspired by the sanitarium children playing in the snow below the schoolhouse.
The best of the evening to you, Miss Amy. My name is Bart Gilroy. I am blessed to live on the grounds of the tuberculosis hospital as the director of maintenance. I was nearly right off the ship from Ireland and enjoying a hike over Bald Mountain when a position here fell right into my lap. As I was crossing the potato field above the hospital, a crotchety worker was injured, nothing serious at all. And he quit right on the spot. His loss, my gain. The patients have become my family and I have my eye on a bonny girl, the cook’s assistant. As soon as I have saved up enough to buy a small house, I plan to court her.
And here are many more characters from 1931 that are here to celebrate life on West Mountain. Many of whom were children of Irish immigrants.
Tonight we will share some Twinings Irish Breakfast tea. https://twiningsusa.com/products/irish-breakfast-1
We will even brew it the Irish way: https://www.31daily.com/how-to-brew-irish-breakfast-tea/
And we will have some of Aislyn’s Mam’s Irish-American scones: https://casualfoodist.com/apple-scones-with-maple-cinnamon-glaze/
To find out more about these characters, check out Voices in the Sanitorium on Amazon. It is free for Kindle Select members. https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Sanitorium-Amy-Lynn-Walsh-ebook/dp/B09KNXXPB1/
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