Watts Hospital-Hillandale in Durham in Durham County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Watts Hospital II
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 31, 2023
1. Watts Hospital II Marker
Society of Durham
Watts Hospital II
North Carolina School of
Science & Mathematics
1909
Built by George W. Watts,
Bertrand S. Taylor of Boston,
architect. First modern hospital
in N.C. Reopened in 1980 as first
state residential school for
science & math in U.S.
No. 13
National Register of Historic Places
Erected by Historic Preservation Society of Durham.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.
Location. 36° 1.117′ N, 78° 55.202′ W. Marker is in Durham, North Carolina, in Durham County. It is in Watts Hospital-Hillandale. It is on Watts Circle west of Broad Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1219 Broad St, Durham NC 27705, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont and in the Research Triangle. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: N.C. School of Science and Mathematics (within shouting distance of this marker); Booker T. Spicely (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dorothy Kitchen: Durham Musician and Educator Extraordinaire (approx. 0.4 miles away); Mr. & Mrs. J.R. Love, Sr. House (approx. 0.9 miles away); Emanuel J. Evans House (approx. one mile away); Leah Boddie House (approx. one mile away); Register-Honeycutt House (approx. one mile away); Brooks-McCutcheon House (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Durham.
Also see . . .
1. Watts Hospital (PDF). National Register nomination for the former hospital complex, which was listed in 1980. (National Archives) (Submitted on September 9, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 31, 2023
2. Watts Hospital II Marker
2. Watts Hospital (1909-1980) / North Carolina School of Science and Math.
Within 10 years, patient demand had outstripped the capacity of the old [original] hospital. [Dr. George] Watts made plans to expand the hospital on site, and engaged the firm which had designed the original hospital Rand and Taylor of Boston, MA. Taylor, however, came to Watts with a proposal for an entirely new hospital - ambitious in scale and far from the "smoke, noise, and trains" in town. Taylor evidently placed multiple petri dishes around Durham, and chose the site that grew the fewest bugs. (Open Durham project, Preservation Durham)(Submitted on September 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 31, 2023
3. Former Watts Hospital Administration Building
The first to be built, it was the centerpiece of the hospital campus. It now is known as Watts Hall at N.C. School of Science & Mathematics.
North Carolina News Co. via Boston Public Library, The Tichnor Brothers Collection (CC BY 2.0), circa 1930/45
4. Postcard of Watts Hospital
This linen postcard shows a bird's eye view of the Watts Hospital campus, which contained as many as 15 buildings.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 783 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on September 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
