Benjamin Shurtleff Shaw photo portrait

Site of Resident Physician’s offices, 1872

The director of the hospital was first called the Superintendent, but the title changed to Resident Physician in 1858. The “resident” part of that title was literal: Men who filled that role lived in the Bulfinch along with their families until the construction of the Resident Physician’s House in 1891. In 1872, these offices were occupied by Benjamin Shurtleff Shaw (pictured below), who happened to be the first to hold the title of Resident Physician.