At the turn of the last century, the nation was ravaged by the “white plague,” and tuberculosis was the cause of death for 154,000 annually. By 1903, the number of consumptives flocking to Denver for its fresh air and sunshine seeking a cure for tuberculosis had outstripped all medical and social service capabilities.

A concerned and idealistic group of Jewish immigrants in Denver met to draft a solution to care for indigent patients suffering from all stages of tuberculosis. These visionaries created a non-sectarian refuge for tuberculars from across the country, providing a safe haven for healing and care, devoid of the taint of professional charity. Ultimately, these efforts reached across

the country and spawned a network of Jewish philanthropy and fundraising that saved thousands of lives. The motto for the JCRS was taken from the Talmudic tenet:

With guidance and dedication from leaders such as Drs. C.D. Spivak and Philip Hillkowitz, in 1904, twenty acres of land were purchased one mile west of Denver, and that September six men and one woman were admitted to a fledgling place of hope consisting of six canvas tents and a one-story building. The first brick building was constructed in 1905, offering wards for bed-ridden patients. JCRS Ladies’ Auxiliaries across the country raised money to build more buildings for the rapidly growing institution.

During its first fifty years, the JCRS – also known by its address as Spivak, Colorado – treated 10,000 patients. Along with medical buildings, an on-site farm and dairy, and research facilities, JCRS provided a social services department, library with 9000 volumes, dental office, pharmacy, technical school, monthly magazine, cooperative store, post office, solarium and barber shop.

Because the majority of the patients were Orthodox Jews, there was a need for a synagogue to serve their traditional religious needs. The first such permanent structure was built in 1911, funded by Isaac Solomon in memory of his son, Jacob. Following a fire in 1920, noted architects William and Arthur A. Fisher designed a one-story brick and stucco synagogue in a distinctive Moorish style. Completed in 1926, the synagogue accommodated 70 worshippers and was used for daily, High Holy Day and festival services. Worship services for other faiths were also conducted in this building. The synagogue was the heart of the campus.

The JCRS functioned as a sanatorium until 1954 when the JCRS changed its name and focus and became the American Medical Center for Cancer Research (AMC). In 2002, the campus was purchased by the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Some buildings continue to be used by AMC for laboratories and research.

The Beck Archives at the University of Denver house much of the original material on the JCRS, including Dr. Jeanne Abrams' dissertation, "Chasing the Cure," a complete history of the JCRS. Material here based on her work is used with the author's permission.

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