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Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Join our quest to save the historic St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, Washington.

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Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Save St. Ignatius Hospital

Join our quest to save the historic St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, Washington.

Join our quest to save the historic St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, Washington.

Join our quest to save the historic St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, Washington.

Join our quest to save the historic St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, Washington.

Austin Storm
Austin Storm
Austin Storm
Austin Storm
1 Campaign |
Colfax, United States
$41,786 USD 281 backers
83% of $50,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Saving St. Ignatius Hospital

A turn-of-the-century hospital, tucked away and abandoned in a rural town. Would you save it if you could?

Saint Ignatius Hospital was designed and built by fearless nun and architect, Mother Joseph. Completed in 1893, the hospital continued for decades until it was eventually decommissioned in 1968. The building continued to be used as a home for elderly and mentally disabled adults, until 2003, when it was finally abandoned.

Nearly 20 years of neglect have brought St. Ignatius dangerously close to ruin. The hospital has been on Washington state's "Most Endangered" historic buildings list since 2015. A massive hole in the west side of the roof has caused four floors to notably sag. It's difficult to tell how close we are to the “point of no return”— major structural failure which would put the building beyond reasonable repair. We need to raise the sagging floors and replace the roof soon in order to preserve the building.

St. Ignatius needs your help

And so do we! We're Austin and Laura Storm, and small business and historic preservation is our catnip. We currently run two independent secondhand stores—one in Moscow, Idaho, and one in Colfax, Washington. Plus we’ve got plans for a bookstore, a downtown hotel, a bar...the list goes on! But St. Ignatius Hospital trumps all those. It’s the white whale, the pearl of great price, the cherry on top, the thing that makes us mix our metaphors.

Now, we’re embarking on a quest larger than any we’ve yet attempted—to preserve and restore the St. Ignatius Hospital. This is an immense project, and it will literally take a village. The Whitman County Historical Society has approved the preservation of St. Ignatius as a sponsored project; we have a partnership with the Colfax Chamber who runs haunted and historic hospital tours; and thanks to all of you, an army of heartfelt volunteers and enthusiastic old-building fanatics! Together we can save St. Ignatius!

Long-term vision

St. Ignatius began as a place for others, and we want to restore it to that again. We would love to see it shine as a historic event venue and hotel, with space for artist retreats, maker classes, food & drink, small businesses, and more. It'll be a long, wonderful haul to bring it back!

Current goals

Right now, we have two key challenges:

  1. Retire the mortgage. We have a short-term mortgage of $50,000 which is coming due soon. Once this is paid off, it will free up funds every month to continue to do vital repairs.
  2. Roof and structural rescue. This incredible building needs time to dry out with a proper roof, but every spring, fall, and winter, it just gets hit with more rain, sleet, and snow. It's wearing the structure down, and it's unlikely that the hospital can withstand many more wet seasons without significant repairs.

We realize those are both big goals, so we’re very thankful to share that an anonymous donor has pledged a generous “matching gift” of up to $50,000 for the preservation of St. Ignatius. This means that every dollar you donate during this campaign will be doubled, up to $50,000!

Come join the St. Ignatius effort

  1. DONATE to our roof and structural rescue. We would love to start structural repairs on St. Iggy's before this next winter hits!
  2. FOLLOW @stignatiuscolfax on Instagram. Click the Notification button to know when we post or share stories.
  3. SHARE the campaign with your family and friends—everybody loves a good fixer-upper!
  4. JOIN our email list for even more details and updates.
  5. FOLLOW YOUR OWN CRAZY DREAMS. Every shop opened, old building saved, restaurant started, and trail developed, adds verve and beauty to our community, and encourages the rest of us to keep on!
Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
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Choose your Perk

Pinback Buttons, set of 2

Pinback Buttons, set of 2

$5 USD
Wear your support on your sleeve (or purse, backpack, shoe, overalls, etc)! We've got an assortment of ghost and historic themed pinback button badges, and will choose yours at random. Exciting and unknown, a little like seeing a ghost!
Included Items
  • Pinback Button (2)
Estimated Shipping
September 2021
36 claimed
Ships to United States of America
"Ghost Roast" Coffee

"Ghost Roast" Coffee

$16 USD
A tasty 12 oz bag of "Ghost Roast" coffee produced by Colfax's own Purpose Roasters.
Included Items
  • 12 oz Coffee
Estimated Shipping
August 2021
18 claimed
Ships to United States of America
Historic St. Ignatius T-shirt

Historic St. Ignatius T-shirt

$24 USD
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what does a hospital on your chest do? Whatever it is, it can only be good for your health! Spread the word that this cool old building needs love with our short-sleeve crewneck historic tee, in adult unisex sizing.
Included Items
  • Historic Building T-shirt
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
43 claimed
Ships worldwide.
Ghost T-shirt

Ghost T-shirt

$24 USD
Ghosts can't wear t-shirts, so it's up to you to use that mortal bod of yours! Support your local spooks with one of our short-sleeve crewneck tees, in adult unisex sizing.
Included Items
  • Ghost T-shirt
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
19 claimed
Ships to United States of America
Historic / Photo Day Tour

Historic / Photo Day Tour

$35 USD
Come and explore the hospital during the day! Originally built without electricity, St. Ignatius was designed around natural light, and that light is stunning. The bottom floors are boarded up and dark, so bring your flashlight, dress warm, and prepare to go up stairs! 12 noon to 2 pm.
Included Items
  • Historic / Photo Day Tour
Estimated Shipping
August 2021
33 claimed

2-Hour Tour: Oct. 14 7pm-9pm

$50 USD
Enjoy a 2 hour ghost hunt. Explore the old hospital. Hear the history of hospital and stories of paranormal activity that goes on inside. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Thursday, October 14th from 7pm to 9pm.
Included Items
  • 2-Hour Ghost Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
4 out of 6 of claimed

3-Hour Tour: Oct. 8 10pm - 1am

$75 USD
Enjoy a 3 hour ghost hunt. Explore the old hospital. Hear the history of hospital and stories of paranormal activity that goes on inside. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Friday, October 8th from 10pm to 1am.
Included Items
  • 3-Hour Ghost Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
1 out of 6 of claimed

3-Hour Tour: Oct. 22 10pm-1am

$75 USD
Enjoy a 3 hour ghost hunt. Explore the old hospital. Hear the history of hospital and stories of paranormal activity that goes on inside. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Friday, October 22th from 10pm to 1am.
Included Items
  • 3-Hour Ghost Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
5 out of 6 of claimed
Sponsor a Joist

Sponsor a Joist

$100 USD
Hoist a joist for St. Iggy's! Floor and ceiling joists on the hospital's west side have sustained significant water damage over the years and need replacing. Your name will be written on one of the wood joists that will restore a sagging floor to level.
Included Items
  • A Joist of Your Own
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
17 claimed

Special Halloween Tour!

$100 USD
A special 4-hour tour on the spookiest night of the year. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Bring flashlights and dress warm, it gets cold at night. Sunday, October 31st from 9pm to 1am. ONLY 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE.
Included Items
  • Overnight Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
0 out of 12 of claimed

Overnight Tour: Oct. 2 8pm-3am

$125 USD
See what happens after midnight in the old hospital. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Bring flashlights and dress warm, it gets cold at night. Saturday, October 2nd from 8pm to 3am.
Included Items
  • Overnight Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
0 out of 6 of claimed

Overnight Tour: Oct 30 8pm-3am

$125 USD
See what happens after midnight in the old hospital. Explore with a guide or on your own. Paranormal equipment is available to check out. Bring flashlights and dress warm, it gets cold at night. Saturday, October 30th from 8pm to 3am.
Included Items
  • Overnight Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
3 out of 12 of claimed

Private Group Tour: October

$1,000 USD
Bring up to 10 people on a private investigation. Bring your own equipment or check out ours to use. Bring a flashlight, dress warm and get ready to walk some stairs. 8pm to 3am (weekdays only in October).
Included Items
  • Private Ghost Tour
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
1 out of 4 of claimed
Sponsor a Security Camera
sold out

Sponsor a Security Camera

$40 USD
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
12 out of 12 of claimed
sold out

Overnight Tour: Oct 16 8pm-3am

$125 USD
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
6 out of 6 of claimed
Private Tour with Austin
sold out

Private Tour with Austin

$500 USD
Estimated Shipping
September 2021
2 out of 2 of claimed
Sponsor a Beam
sold out

Sponsor a Beam

$1,000 USD
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
4 out of 4 of claimed
Sponsor a Floor
sold out

Sponsor a Floor

$5,000 USD
Estimated Shipping
October 2021
4 out of 4 of claimed

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