Written by Patricio Herrera-Lopez

Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020, the Taft community had already experienced a school closure due to another global pandemic: the Spanish flu. From 1918 to 1920, near the end of WW1, the Spanish flu decimated the West Side communities of Taft, Maricopa, McKittrick, Fellows, Shale, Reward, and the numerous oil camps/leases, which housed nearly a third of the county's population. The area's dense, temporary accommodations—comprising tent, shotgun, and bunk houses,—coupled with a predominantly youthful demographic, created an environment conducive to the virus's spread. When the flu peaked in November 1918, it advanced at an alarming rate. By that fall, approximately 40% of the West Side population had contracted the illness, with many succumbing within 48 hours of exhibiting symptoms. The local undertaker was overwhelmed, and the loss of family members became a tragically common occurrence, such as a young couple who passed away on the same day in their late 20s. This pandemic marked one of the most catastrophic events in the West Side's history.

Amidst the crisis, the West Side community joined forces with the American Red Cross to establish a network of emergency hospitals. Under the leadership of H.A. Hopkins, Chairman of the Civilian Relief Committee, ordinary facilities were repurposed for this extraordinary need. The Petroleum Club, the Domestic Science building and main building at Taft Union High School, and both Fellows and Maricopa high schools were transformed into makeshift medical centers. The medical personnel and volunteers stationed in these hastily assembled wards labored diligently to treat the sick and save lives. Despite their commendable efforts, the virus persisted relentlessly, resulting in hundreds of fatalities, particularly among infants and children. This tragic loss of young lives ushered in a profoundly somber period in the community's history, one that is often overlooked in the narrative of Taft and the West Side.

Acknowledgments for Contributions:

• H.A. Hopkins, Chairman, Civilian Relief Committee: Oversaw all hospitals.

• Domestic Science Building: Mrs. Fannie Williams; Ms. Marian Tucker; Mrs. Mary Marcus, nurse; Mrs. C.L. Shirk, nurse; Mrs. Ramona Lee, nurse; Mrs. Mitchell; Mosdames Thatcher and Ritenour.

• W.J. Dilger, Civilian Relief Committee

• Hospital No. 4: Mr. V.D. Black, Civilian Relief Committee

• Hospital No. 5: Mrs. Robert Burns, nurse in charge of Hospital No. 1; Mrs. Bobbie Burns; Mrs. W.J. Rourke; Buck Buchanan; Mr. Jack; Mrs. Jack Sumners.

• Hospital No. 2: Mrs. Marian Tucker, nurse in charge.

• Head Office, Hospital No. 3: H.H. McClintock, Chairman of Equipment.

Interesting Fact about the American Red Cross: The first building in the United States to be exclusively utilized by the Red Cross was located in Taft in 1918.