SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER RECORDS

The Swedish Medical Center Records comprise the history of the hospital from its founding by Dr. Charles A. Bundsen as the Swedish Consumptive Sanatorium in 1905 through the subsequent additions and changes to the name and purpose of the institution. The collection traces the hospital's development and its evolution into a major Denver medical center. Photographs show the beautiful campus as it developed and as buildings were added. Early buildings have long since been replaced by modern hospital structures.

A significant part of the collection is the correspondence related to contributions as memorials to past patients, and the acknowledgment of gifts from individuals and institutions. The sale of "First Mayflowers" pins represented a major fund raising tool for the Swedish National Sanatorium from 1922 until the 1960s. The collection includes samples of the flowers sold, and some ledger sheets showing the income derived from national sales efforts. Building funds and foundation activities are also recorded.

Swedish Medical Center was also affiliated with other medical institutions: Craig Rehabilitation Center was built on the Swedish campus; Porter Memorial Hospital and Swedish consolidated their medical staffs in the 1970s, and those relationships are documented in the collection.

Family history and genealogical information about the Bundsen family, including documents written by and about Charles Bundsen comprise a portion of the collection. The collection contains some of the information about ancestors compiled by a cousin, Ida Dudley Dale, who descended from the Otterdahls.

Photographs of the sanatorium document the earliest buildings and show patients in their rooms and in common areas. Staff photos are also included with many individuals identified. Building construction progress, groundbreakings and dedications are also documented with photos, slides and 16 mm films. Copper plate printing blocks show images of individuals, groups, buildings, landscapes, and other items used for institutional publications. Many of the copper plate images of individuals are identified in oversize folder (OVFF8).

This series contains materials related to the founding of the Swedish National Consumptive Hospital and its evolution into the Swedish Medical Center. Documents related to name changes and building additions and naming are included, as is the creation of the foundation. These materials are organized chronologically.

Records in this series include the chronologically arranged minutes, financial records, committee meetings and correspondence of the Board of Trustees. The activities of hospital administrators, various councils and committees, including issues such as pension plans and staffing, comprise this series.

A significant part of this series includes the correspondence related to contributions as memorials to former patients, and the acknowledgment of gifts from individuals and institutions. This series is arranged alphabetically according to the donor.

This series features the sale of "First Mayflowers," a major fund raising tool for the Swedish National Sanatorium from 1922 into the 1960s. Samples of the flowers sold, ledger sheets showing the income derived from these national sales efforts comprise this series. Some of the foundation activities are also located in this series. Records, including minutes and correspondence including the Mayflower organization, are arranged chronologically.

Donations made in the name of the deceased along with acknowledgment of the gifts comprise this series which is arranged alphabetically by the name of the donating individual or company.

Arranged chronologically the series contains articles related to medical treatments, including press releases and clippings from newspapers.

Newspaper clippings that cover virtually any mention of the hospital from the 1950s through 1980 comprise a sizeable part of this series. Some clippings were placed in scrapbooks while others appear in many folders containing unsorted clippings arranged by year. Articles and Swedish language newspapers from several Swedish-American publications comprise a portion of this series. None has been translated. Material is arranged chronologically.

Family documents and photographs related to the Bundsen and Otterdahl families comprise this series, which is arranged chronologically. Photographs remain in their original order, but have been sleeved to protect from damage. Ida Dudley Dale's scrapbook has been placed in separate folders, but retains its original sequence.

Documents pertaining to the relationships established between Swedish Medical Center and the Craig Rehabilitation Hospital, Porter Memorial Hospital, Rockmont College, Ladies Aid Society, and Medical Center Auxiliary comprise this series and are grouped by association name and arranged chronologically within each group.

Copper plate printing blocks used in publications comprise this series. Pictures of individuals comprise the bulk, with numerous plates of the buildings and the grounds of the Swedish Medical Center, along with mastheads, and other artwork used in the Swedish Memorial Hospital Journal. Mountain scenes and other landscapes form a small portion of the images. Some of these images appeared in brochures and booklets.

The books in this oversize series are a compilation of scrapbooks, clippings, articles, poems and other items collected by unknown persons, Many are undated. This series also includes awards given to a variety of administrators and executives; a record of wills; a guest register; a book of annuity bonds; and a prescription alcohol dosage register used during Prohibition.

This series contains many newspapers, some in Swedish language, with articles about the Hospital, its purposes, or its founder, Charles A. Bundsen. There are complete newspapers and clippings. This series also comprises ledgers, charts, programs, sheet music, and blueprints. Proofs of some of the printing blocks with identification form a portion of the series.

This series includes unedited 16mm film of the addition construction during the early 1960s. It also contains a film used in the late 1940s which touts the institution and its purposes.

Early photographs of the original hospital buildings, extensive coverage of additions, groundbreaking, and dedications comprise a large part of this series. The photos in this series consist of black and white negatives and prints, color slides, color prints, and many black and white Polaroid prints. Subjects include fund-raisers, staff and many other public events especially luncheons and dinners. Nitrate negatives have been identified, and are stored in a sealed envelope in the STXV freezer to prevent deterioriation of the images. Access to these negatives is restricted and requires the permission of the archivist.