Houston in Harris County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Jefferson Davis Hospital
Photographed By Brian Anderson, June 10, 2023
1. Jefferson Davis Hospital Marker
Inscription.
Jefferson Davis Hospital. . This significant medical facility, completed in 1924 and operated jointly by the City of Houston and Harris County, was built atop the 1840 Houston City Cemetery, which was active until the 1880s. As there was no widespread removal of graves from the site, the building’s basement was erected above ground. At the request of Confederate veterans and their families, the hospital was named for the former President of the Confederate States of America, in honor of the many Confederate veterans buried here. Jefferson Davis Hospital marks the beginning of city-county cooperation in providing centralized medical care for indigent patients., City Architect W.A. Dowdy presented his plans to the hospital board in 1923, with the main building designed to accommodate 150 patients. The physical plant also included a nurses’ home, isolation unit, garage and power house. The Neoclassical style building remains a prominent landmark in the First Ward neighborhood. The three-story structural concrete and clay tile building has a red brick and cast stone veneer. Notable elements include its central projecting portico with fluted columns and ionic capitals, cast stone detailing, pedimented entry doors and brick corner quoins., The hospital served its intended purpose for only thirteen years, as a rapidly growing population required new facilities. In 1937 a new hospital on Buffalo Drive (now Allen Parkway) took the name “Jefferson Davis Hospital.” This site, then called “Old Jefferson Davis Hospital,” served multiple purposes including a psychiatric hospital, juvenile detention ward, food stamp distribution center and records storage facility. After several years standing vacant, the historic building was rehabilitated into residential lofts in 2005. ,
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2008.
This significant medical facility, completed in 1924 and operated jointly by the City of Houston and Harris County, was built atop the 1840 Houston City Cemetery, which was active until the 1880s. As there was no widespread removal of graves from the site, the building’s basement was erected above ground. At the request of Confederate veterans and their families, the hospital was named for the former President of the Confederate States of America, in honor of the many Confederate veterans buried here. Jefferson Davis Hospital marks the beginning of city-county cooperation in providing centralized medical care for indigent patients.
City Architect W.A. Dowdy presented his plans to the hospital board in 1923, with the main building designed to accommodate 150 patients. The physical plant also included a nurses’ home, isolation unit, garage and power house. The Neoclassical style building remains a prominent landmark in the First Ward neighborhood. The three-story structural concrete and clay tile building has a red brick and cast stone veneer. Notable elements include its central projecting portico with fluted columns and ionic capitals, cast stone detailing, pedimented entry doors and brick corner quoins.
The hospital served its intended purpose for only thirteen years, as a rapidly growing population required new
Click or scan to see this page online
facilities. In 1937 a new hospital on Buffalo Drive (now Allen Parkway) took the name “Jefferson Davis Hospital.” This site, then called “Old Jefferson Davis Hospital,” served multiple purposes including a psychiatric hospital, juvenile detention ward, food stamp distribution center and records storage facility. After several years standing vacant, the historic building was rehabilitated into residential lofts in 2005.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2008
Erected 2008 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15523.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 29° 46.119′ N, 95° 22.072′ W. Marker is in Houston, Texas, in Harris County. Marker is on Elder Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1101 Elder Street, Houston TX 77007, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on June 12, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.