Dr. William D. Hutchings Hospital and Office
120 West Third Street
Madison National Register District
Madison, Indiana

This small brick building located at 120 West Third Street in the Madison, Indiana Historic District, is the late nineteenth century office and hospital of horse-and-buggy doctor, Dr. William Davies Hutchings. This building contains most of the original equipment from Dr. Hutchings’ practice as well as Hutchings’ family furnishings.

The history of the artifacts in the museum is somewhat unusual. When Hutchings died in 1903, his daughters, packed delicate items, his medical books and instruments and closed the office. It stayed this way for almost seventy years. In 1969, Elisabeth Zulauf Kelemen, the Doctor’s granddaughter, gave the building and all its contents to Historic Madison, Inc.

Built between 1838-1848, this building is Greek Revival in style, has a small pediment on the façade and simple moldings and cornice board on the each side and a cut stone foundation. Before Dr. Hutchings acquired the building it had been the law office of Michael G. Bright, an attorney and later Judge John Cravens.

Dr. Hutchings was born in Lexington, Kentucky on September 15, 1825 and died April 2, 1903 in Madison, Indiana. From the age of six he wanted to be a doctor. He studied medicine at the Lexington Academy in Kentucky and was granted a medical diploma from Indiana Central Medical College of Indianapolis, Class 1851—a department of Ashbury University (now Depauw) at Greencastle, Indiana. He worked as a student during the 1849 Asiatic Cholera Epidemic along the Kentucky River. His original Diplomas and certificates, which hang on the walls of the office, denote a continuing study of medicine.

The Museum is open to the public mid April through October. Admission is charged. The property is one of 16 historic properties owned and operated by Historic Madison, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to education, promotion, and assistance in preservation and restoration of historic resources which protect our heritage and enhance the quality of life in Madison, Indiana. For additional information contact: Historic Madison, Inc. 500 West Street, Madison, Indiana 812-265-2967. hmihmfi@seidata.com