Lakeside Building Restoration Project

11/09/2021

Were you born at Lakeside Hospital between 1939 and 1972? Send us your pic right away! In light of the DeFuniak Springs Lakeside Hospital having recently been added to the National Register of Historical Places, The Florida Chautauqua Assembly will celebrate this honor through a themed Christmas Tree at this year’s Festival of Trees. Consequently, we are searching for those born at this historic institution between 1939 and 1972. Statistics reveal that Dr. Spires and Dr. Myers jointly delivered 11,000+ babies at our local facility. If you were one of these little ones, we’d love for you to submit a baby photo for us to use on the tree. Photos may be emailed to Jan Faubel, head of the Florida Chautauqua’s Art Pillar: [email protected] Please indicate “Lakeside Baby Photo” in the subject line for easier identification. Be sure to include your name and date of birth. If you have any interesting tidbits about your birth or about either of these attending physicians, please include this information in a brief statement. All submissions must be received no later than Monday, November 15, in order for us to include you on an ornament. Also let us know whether you would be open to receiving further emails from the Florida Chautauqua Assembly as we establish the Friends of Lakeside Hospital organization.

Our first photo submitted taken inside Lakeside Hospital in 1957. Taken inside room 24 of the celebration of the birth of Dana Kay Infinger. Mother Annette Infinger with infant, and proud father Randall Infinger beside her. Ladies in the back are Bertie Infinger (left) and Lucille McCollough. Thanks Randall and Annette for sharing this great pic!

07/27/2021

In the News! See the story on WMBB-TV (ABC affiliate) about Old Lakeside Hospital Building making it to the National Register of HIstoric Places. Story by Alexia Tsiropoulos. https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/old-lakeside-hospital-receives-national-attention/.

07/27/2021

We did it! Old Lakeside Hospital Building at 1290 Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs, Florida has been added to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior Tuesday, July 20, 2021. The building opened as a one-story clinic in 1939 and later a two-story hospital in 1949. The hospital closed in 1972. The nonprofit Florida Chautauqua Association purchased the building in 2013 to save it from deterioration and demolition, and for later use as a museum, community events and the official headquarters of the annual, multi-day Florida Chautauqua Assembly held each January.

“We are so excited to learn of this significant designation by the U.S. Department of the Interior,” says Christopher Mitchell, President of the Florida Chautauqua Association. “Board Member Denise Mack did most of the significant research required for the thesis section of the application, and we are grateful to her and all who participated in the oral history interviews to make this application submission successful including representatives of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.”

The old Lakeside Hospital building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on its own historical merits related to health care services during the early 1940s and through the 1950s and 60s. While the building and health care services were segregated during the first half of the hospital’s history, newspaper articles dated back to 1939 have noted that African Americans were medically served by Dr. Spires since opening day while other health care providers throughout much of the South did not provide care to Black patients. Much of the footprint of the structure, including the once-segregated entrance from Live Oak Avenue and segregated wards on the west side of the building are still intact. In addition, newspaper articles document the significant impact medical services by Dr. Spires, Dr. Myers and other physicians who practiced here had on the Florida panhandle community relating to polio vaccinations, births, reduction of infant mortality, and women’s health.

The Florida Chautauqua Association leaders have secured a $50,000 grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources for an architectural assessment of the building to determine the building’s needs for restoration and rehabilitation. The Association will now conduct annual capital campaigns and seek additional funding from the public to support the needs of matching funds for various grant opportunities.

10/04/2020

10/4/2020: Lakeside Building (formerly Lakeside Clinic/Hospital) is now deemed eligible by the State of Florida for the National Register of Historic Places. It is also being considered for a $500,000 federal grant. WE NEED YOUR HELP! What do you know about rural health care and the significance of Lakeside Clinic/Hospital from 1939 to 1972? We need to know for the final paperwork to the Department of Interior. Pictures? Documents? Newspaper articles? Studies? Please send to Christopher Mitchell, 1290 Circle Drive, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435. Email: [email protected]. Phone (850) 419-5578. Thank you!

05/18/2020

May 18, 2020: Otis Elevator technician working on original 1949 elevator today at Lakeside Building. He is in the very top of the shaft where the machinery is located. Let’s hope nothing seriously wrong. If working today, we will need state inspection next. Fingers crossed!

04/27/2020

Lakeside Building in DeFuniak Springs, FL receives a new $140,000 roof. Paul Rushing was the roofing contractor from DeFuniak Springs. Project is complete. No leaks!

03/20/2020

HOTLINE OPEN: (850) 892-8392. In order to field basic questions about Walton County's COVID-19 response, the Walton County Department of Emergency Management has activated their Citizen Information Center Helpline. You may reach the CIC at 850-892-8392. If you are experiencing symptoms, please contact your primary care physician. If you do not have a primary care physician, you may contact the Walton County Department of Health at 850-401-6453. At no time should you call 911. 911 is for immediately life threatening emergencies only. If you have general questions related to COVID-19 and the virus itself, please contact the State COVID-19 line at 866-779-6121.

03/20/2020

03/17/2020

March 17, 2020: City Council members voted Monday night to declare a local state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and to implement local measures to further enhance the safety of citizens during the outbreak.

City leaders voted to:
* Limit travel of city workers outside of the county unless deemed absolutely necessary by the city mayor or manager;
* Cancel all permits for outdoor events until further notice;
* Suspend renting all city facilities until declared otherwise;
* Cancel the Monday, March 23 City Council meeting;
* Suspend all volunteer city board and committee meetings until May 1.

The City of DeFuniak Springs will continue to update this information and provide further announcements on its website at www.defuniaksprings.net, and on its City of DeFuniak Springs page. The City is also working collaboratively with county public information officials each day to provide up-to-date information on the handling of the outbreak.
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09/06/2019

So proud his excitement was in front of Lakeside Building, now under significant renovation/restoration! New roof was being installed at this time.