ELMHURST HOSPITAL SUBWAY SIGN

by Kevin Walsh

Elmhurst Hospital, Broadway and Baxter Avenue, is marked by a stencil sign on the Manhattan-bound side of the Elmhurst Avenue local station on the Queens Boulevard IND, serving R and M trains. The hospital is about 4 blocks away from the station. This sign notes the hospital’s original name.

City Hospital was founded in the 1850s as NYC’s second municipal hospital at the south end of what was then Blackwell’s Island, which later became Welfare and then Roosevelt Island. After World War II, it moved to its present location at 79-01 Broadway in Elmhurst and changed its name to City Hospital at Elmhurst and then just Elmhurst Hospital. Its present building dates to 1957 though it has had plenty of additions since.

In 2011, doctors at Elmhurst patched up your webmaster after I had cracked my head open on a Metropolitan Avenue bridge railing. I suffer for my art, and everyone else does, too.

12/24/15

7 comments

Andy December 25, 2015 - 12:27 pm

There were similar signs on the #7 line elevated platforms at 82nd Street Station, except that they were white enamel with black lettering affixed to the platform’s windscreens. Don’t know if they are still there.

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Daniel Timothy Dey February 2, 2016 - 4:59 pm

Were they anything like this one at 103rd Street back in 2011 on the Flushing-bound platform?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:103rd_IRT_Flushing;_Small_Sign-1.jpg

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Daniel Timothy Dey February 2, 2016 - 5:04 pm

Oh, wait. Cancel this previous message. This would be better for the 75th Avenue – Forest Hills Subway sign article.

Reply
Gary Fonville December 27, 2015 - 6:21 am

Hey Andy,

Almost everything’s that’s removable and has been highlight in FNY, has somehow “grown legs” and walked away. Hmmmm.

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Billy G December 31, 2015 - 9:24 pm

.
.
Was raised across Baxter Ave from the hospital.

We spent much time “playing” in there when it was being built 1955 – 57.

We always called it Elmhurst General.

..

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Howard April 11, 2018 - 3:10 pm

In December of 1944 I was born in Elmhurst General Hospital, but I recall it being located north of Roosevelt Ave, and not in the location of the present hospital of the same name (built in 1957?). Does anyone know the street address of the old Elmhurst General?

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TommyR September 18, 2018 - 1:47 pm

Born here, living here after growing up in Williamsburg. Glad to see Webmaster Walsh’s noggin remains more or less intact…

Reply

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