P is for… Dowell E. Patterson!

Dowell Patterson (1899-1968) served as the superintendent of the Union Printers Home briefly in 1938, and then from 1944 until his death at the Home in 1968 following a car accident. Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Patterson became a printer and a member of the International Typographical Union since 1919. In addition to his work as a printer and later as superintendent of the Home, he was also significantly involved in civic and labor organizations, including serving two terms as a South Carolina State Legislator.

During his 24 years as superintendent of the Union Printers Home, he oversaw the move of the International Typographical Union’s headquarters and training center to the UPH property (both buildings still exist, south of the current Home grounds on Union Blvd), as well as a renovation of the south portion of the Castle in 1965 to become a more modern hospital wing. He was also integral to some of the rezoning of the UPH property in the 1960s, which included the building of the old K-Mart on Circle Drive and Airport Road, as well as Cinema 150/Stargazers Theatre and Rodeway Inn. It was also during his tenure that the Home property was officially annexed into the city of Colorado Springs (1962). Patterson’s impact on the Union Printers Home cannot be ignored, especially because he worked there during a time when the printing trade was becoming more and more mechanized, and therefore the Union funding of the Home became much tighter. Although his fights with the city during the rezoning efforts caused some tension between the Home and nearby residents, Patterson did what he thought was necessary to keep the Home alive with less financial support.

Patterson is shown here along with a nurse in a publicity shot in the newly renovated hospital wing in 1965.