W. H. Keen was Nanton's first doctor, setting up a practice in the village in 1905. A man of many talents, Dr. Keen was, at various times, also a rancher, a town councillor, and very nearly a member of the provincial legislature, running unsuccessfully for a seat in 1926. It was in the next year, 1927, that Dr. Keen had this twelve bed hospital built, which he owned and operated until his death in 1928. Taken over by Dr. H. MacKenzie, he ran it until enlisting in the military in 1940, at which time the hospital was closed.
The three storey building was renovated shortly after, becoming an apartment building which also housed various commercial enterprises over the years. Today known as Main Street Apartments, the building has recently been renovated into six individual units, from Studio apartments to a two bedroom unit.
Keen (Nanton) Hospital
When the Canadian Pacific Railway built a spur line south from Calgary in 1893, primarily to serve the cattle ranches of the region, a number of sidings were erected along the rail line. Some of these soon developed into communities, among them Nanton, where a post office had been opened at the siding. By 1904, this community was large enough to be incorporated as a village. In 1907 with a population exceeding 500, it became a town.
In 1905, Nanton's first doctor, W. H. Keen, set up practice. Keen was a strong community-minded individual and would go on to serve a number of terms on the Nanton Town Council. In 1926, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Provincial Legislature on behalf of the Conservatives. He also became a district rancher with several hundred head of cattle, and was always recognized as an avid sportsman.
In 1927, Keen built a community hospital, which he himself owned, on Main Street in Nanton. Mrs. Keen, a registered nurse, became superintendent. This was a three-storey brick tile structure with room for twelve beds; it also held Keen's office. Keen and his wife would continue to operate this facility until Keen passed away in 1938. It was then taken over by Dr. H. MacKenzie, but was closed down in 1940 when MacKenzie enlisted for military service. Patients from Nanton began to be treated in High River. The old hospital was soon developed into an apartment block, and being situated on Main Street, would also come to accommodate several commercial operations.
The historical significance of the Nanton Hospital lies in its service as a medical centre for the district around Nanton during the early-mid part of the century. It is also representative of the career of one of Nanton's leading citizens of the time, and has remained a familiar landmark in the downtown core.
The Keen Hospital was built in 1927, to very high standards for the day. It had accommodations for twelve patients on two floors, the operating room was well lit and had white enamel walls, the latest in electrical technology was installed, and the facility had its own dispensary. The solid utilitarian brick tile structure has a pleasing, if plain, appearance. The pitched roof and front veranda makes it look like a house, as was typical of small-town hospitals of the day. The squat proportions, regular fenestration and rear fire escapes are clues that it had another function.
From the Alberta Heritage Register