St. Vincent Sanatorium opened in 1883 as a treatment facility for tuberculosis patients. Destroyed by fire in 1896, the sanatorium was rebuilt in 1910. Renamed Marian Hall in 1954, in honor of the Marian Year proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the structure was used as a convent and residence for nurses. Tuberculosis sanatoriums proliferated throughout New Mexico in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, attracting health seekers from across the country pursuing a cure in New Mexico’s high and dry climate. Purchased by the Drury Hotel Corporation in 2007, Marian Hall is empty but stabilized and awaiting further development. It stands as an important reminder of Santa Fe’s role as a center for the treatment of tuberculosis and the significant influence of the Catholic Church on the health of its citizens.
From Old Santa Fe Today, 5th edition by Audra Bellmore with photographs by Simone Frances.