Waukesha County Wisconsin Genealogy

Wisconsin Tuberculosis and Consumption Sanatorium

State Tuberculosis Sanatorium

Waukesha County was the home of the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium. It was known as the Statesan and was located near Wales. It opened Nov. 7, 1907 for incipient and moderately advanced cases of tuberculosis. It had a capacity of 196 patients. Rates of $8-$10 per week for those able to pay were charged. Others were admitted free.

The facility had an open air school which was opened September 21, 1914. It had a capacity of 20. It was supported by the state and used for patients with tuberculosis until 1957.

In April 1959, the sanatorium was converted to the Ethan Allen School for Boys, a correctional institute for juveniles age 10-25. Four of the original buildings remain in use. The school is located on a 216-acre site and is in use today.

Pewaukee Sanatorium for Tuberculosis

The Oak Sanatorium was located one and a half miles east of Pewaukee. It opened July 12, 1918 for all classes of tuberculosis cases. It had a capacity of 27. In 1919 there were plans to increase capacity to 40. The rates for care were $12 per week.

Burials of Deceased

It is assumed that many of the deceased indigent and poor were buried in the the county Paupers cemetery. I have some of the Paupers Cemetery burials online here.

For more information on Tuberculosis in Wisconsin see these links:
See also Muirdale Sanitorium, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County
See also the 1916 Wisconsin directory of sanatoriums
See also the 1919 Wisconsin directory of sanatoriums
See also History of Tuberculosis in Wisconsin
See also Criteria for Location Selection
Life in Wisconsin Sanatoriums-offsite link by John T. Wells