dr. william hutching's office & hosptal

Our Medical Alliance group took a day trip to Madison to visit this historic site, the office of Dr. William D. Hutchings. The building is a trove of fascinating relics from the late 1800s giving a clear look into the practice of medicine of days gone by. A building next door is under renovation to be the welcome center as well as housing exhibits from the vast collection found in the office and the family home. I would suggest a video be made as a welcome/explanatory prelude to the visit'

This place gave me chills, in a good way. Our guide told us that after Dr. Hutchings died, the family couldn't bring themselves to disturb anything but simply locked the doors and left the office as it was. Granted, it is a small building but all of his books, supplies and instruments are just where he would have left them. Upstairs was a little different. There were two bedrooms that served as the area's only hospital. Our guide told us that she believed that the beds were from the doctor's home and not the single beds that would have been originally used. Very interesting, glad we took the time to stop by.

Dr. Hutching's office and hospital was closed with everything inside it when he died, including pictures his daughter took of the office. It is in the process of being restored to it's original 1800's appearance, as time has done it's damage, but it is still interesting to see now. Most of the doctor's medical notes and instruments are there, including his saddle, as he preferred to ride rather than drive a buggy. Even his cape is in the bedroom above his waiting room. His medical books are also in his office. It is surprising how easy it is to read his clear and precise writing.

Very short tour. Lots of old medical items and instruments. If you are in the medical field, you will enjoy it.

This was a very cool 19th century doctors office. The hospital room was kind of creepy, and the real skeleton in the box was unexpected. Also great tour guide

Small museum which shows a doctor's office and first hospital in Madison. The best part was the guide who had a family connection with the good doctor and obviously loved her job. Takes about 45 minutes to see everything but a good quick stop.Tickets combo for this house and the Sullivan mansion is $5, which is very reasonable.

In full disclosure, my wife and I both worked at a hospital our entire careers, so maybe we found this more interesting than others might, but it is a unique experience and fully furnished with Dr. Hutching's original furnishing, instruments and beds. This is another of the Historic Madison, Inc. properties and included in their combo ticket. It has two levels with a steep but climbable stair to the two "bed" rooms upstairs. The docent gives you a very detail history of Dr. Hutching's life, tells you about his instruments and medicines. A fascinating history of a country doctor who stopped only when a "real" hospital was built, interestingly, right behind his office and hospital. A place that truely has skeletons in the closet.