Cresson: Remembering Life at The San

The tuberculosis sanatorium in Cresson, Pennsylvania closed in 1964, but former patients are still haunted by their experiences. Many people remember the dangerous illness, the stigma of a TB diagnosis, and the landmark hospital in Cambria County that was nicknamed "The San." Rare archival photos, film and compelling interviews are woven around the memories of Chuck Felton, who launched a fascinating website about his life as a teenage patient in the 1950s. This Emmy winning documentary is from the team of writer/producer David Solomon and videographer/editor Paul Ruggieri. From the WQED archives, original premiere date November 21, 2011.
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[@jacquelinea3358]

My mother's baby sister died in a sanatorium about 1940. She was only 18. My mom was devastated. But there was the stigma of TB, so my aunt wasn't talked about much. Not only was it a scary, contagious disease, but TB was also associated with poverty. My mom's family wasn't poor, but they weren't middle class yet, either. There was just no other option other than isolation in sanatoria. I don't think antibiotics were used successfully for TB at the time. Years later, when mom had dementia before her death, she would ask about her sister, Elaine.

[@WQED]

Wow, thank you for sharing your family's story, Jacqueline!

[@SUSIEQZ55]

My aunt was there for over 6 months. She was 18 and died in 1936. Have a couple pictures of my dad and his brothers visiting her .

[@allentroxell1725]

My grandmother died at Cresson Sanatorium in 1945 and I never knew her. I have always wondered what life for her was like during her time there. It feels good to know that her last days were probably good ones, despite the fact she was separated from her family.

[@PJChgo1]

Fascinated to see this. My grandfather was here in the 1950s.

[@caityponn4778]

As a mother, the thought of having to drop my son off at a hospital hours away from home and not being able to hug or kiss him… having no idea if he will recover… breaks my heart.

[@brianwalter7387]

That place is absolutely beautiful

[@eilandwaynette]

My great grandparents were upper middle class and he died in 1920 and she died in 1929 and at the time of my great grandfather's death they didn't know my great grandmother had caught it and my grandmother took care of her mom and luckily she didn't catch it and we found out later my grandmother didn't even know it was contagious and they called it consumption so when my mom was in nursing school she learned that consumption was TB and let her mom know that her parents had died of tuberculosis and how contagious it was and it wasnt until then, 50 years later that my grandmother finally learned why her mother never got near her first grandchild and would only look at her from a window ° im sure my grandmother was happy her mom had not held the baby out of love not because she didnt want to hold it but she knew she could give the baby TB ° it's really heartbreaking to think for 50 years my grandmother thought her mom didn't hold the baby because she didn't care about her first grandchild 😢 and to find out the true reason was because she did love the baby 🥰 my grandmother had a rough life losing her dad at 9 years old and her mom at 21 and then marrying 2 drunks that treated her awful ° i never heard my grandmother complain and she always had a smile on her face ° she was a saint to go through all she did and never show her pain ❤ how i miss her 😢

[@janedoe7229]

I was born near here and my dad worked at this sanatorium.

[@wraithhuntersofohio9281]

Wow! Brought tears to my eyes

[@kris.tea.p]

How many people are here because they’re planning to doing the overnight haunted tour?

[@kimbryant9724]

Me!!! I always research first ❤❤

[@thomaswiker3471]

My dad and uncle both got TB and I think it may be at Mt Alto spent time at cause I remember him talking about Mt Alto

[@UniversalAirsoft]

Such a great video! Very interesting to learn about the history of this place. Even though this video was uploaded this year, it must have been filmed back in 2011 or sometime near when the reunion was held because Cresson is no longer a prison and is now abandoned. It is currently being used for tours and for me, milsim airsoft events. Playing airsoft in a place like this was so exciting. The church and some other buildings were off limits to preserve them, but the majority of the buildings were used to play in.

[@thatguy7127]

I just played there last weekend.

[@UniversalAirsoft]

@@thatguy7127 Cool! I had some friends also go to Syndicate II, but I wasn't able to make it this time.

[@skiphaudegen275]

November 2021...now the Hole World was Infected with COVID19...TB was History👍...but now... COVID19 is Everywhere...!!! 😷😔🤦‍♂️ STAY SAVE around the World.......

[@airbender7778]

So interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@jimwhitman3678]

Great story

[@jval6459]

My grandmother worked at the sanatorium in Cresson, PA in the 1940s

[@shanonmay-harmon4517]

Any stories?

[@jval6459]

@@shanonmay-harmon4517 sadly I don't remember any. I'm going to ask my father and see if he knows of any. My grandmother passed in 2014, her name is Teresa Billetdeaux

[@jval6459]

Maiden name

[@shanonmay-harmon4517]

🙏