Highland Park in Montgomery in Montgomery County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities ⎯⎯⎯ Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park
Photographed by Shaun Rose, April 9, 2026
1. Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities Marker
Inscription.
Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities, also, Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park. .
Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities. With the growth of the Highland Park suburb in the 1890s, a medical community developed along Forest Avenue. In 1895, Dr. Isaac Watkins opened Highland Park Sanatorium in three frame houses in the 500 block. In early 1920s, Watkins sold to Dr. T. Brannon Hubbard who practiced in one and conducted a nursing school in another. Later, he built Hubbard Hospital adjacent to them. Dr. Hubbard closed his hospital in 1956, but continued to practice until 1968. In the 1930s, a Children's Hospital provided services by pediatrician Dr. C. Hilton Rice. Following World War II, in 1946, Dr. Frank Jackson and twelve other doctors founded Jackson Hospital that expanded into one of the largest in the area. In addition to the hospitals, hundreds of individual doctors have devoted themselves to the community, carrying out the medical traditions established here in the late 19th century.,
Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park. Streetcar and land developers opened Highland Park in 1886 at same time adjacent suburb with that name was developing. In mid-1890s, City purchased park and renamed it. Oak Park became popular with zoo, pools, pavilion and picnic areas. A segregated facility, the City closed it in 1957, but re-opened it in 1965 as integrated park and gardens. In 1968-69, City built W.A. Gayle Planetarium, operated by Troy University. For years, the well-loved Myers Pop Corn served thousands of happy customers who proved his slogan "By My Corn I Shall Be Known." Marcus B. Myers's stand was just outside the Oak Park gates on Forest Avenue; he was known throughout the neighborhood for his generosity and kindness to the children who were patients in nearby hospitals.
Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities
With the growth of the Highland Park suburb in the 1890s, a medical community developed along Forest Avenue. In 1895, Dr. Isaac Watkins opened Highland Park Sanatorium in three frame houses in the 500 block. In early 1920s, Watkins sold to Dr. T. Brannon Hubbard who practiced in one and conducted a nursing school in another. Later, he built Hubbard Hospital adjacent to them. Dr. Hubbard closed his hospital in 1956, but continued to practice until 1968. In the 1930s, a Children's Hospital provided services by pediatrician Dr. C. Hilton Rice. Following World War II, in 1946, Dr. Frank Jackson and twelve other doctors founded Jackson Hospital that expanded into one of the largest in the area. In addition to the hospitals, hundreds of individual doctors have devoted themselves to the community, carrying out the medical traditions established here in the late 19th century.
Oak Park
Montgomery's First Public Park
Streetcar and land developers opened Highland Park in 1886 at same time adjacent suburb with that name was developing. In mid-1890s, City purchased park and renamed it.
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Oak Park became popular with zoo, pools, pavilion and picnic areas. A segregated facility, the City closed it in 1957, but re-opened it in 1965 as integrated park and gardens. In 1968-69, City built W.A. Gayle Planetarium, operated by Troy University. For years, the well-loved Myers Pop Corn served thousands of happy customers who proved his slogan "By My Corn I Shall Be Known." Marcus B. Myers's stand was just outside the Oak Park gates on Forest Avenue; he was known throughout the neighborhood for his generosity and kindness to the children who were patients in nearby hospitals.
Erected 2007 by the Alabama Historical Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Association series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1895.
Location. 32° 22.126′ N, 86° 17.193′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Alabama, in Montgomery County. It is in Highland Park. It is at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Park Place, on the right when traveling south on Forest Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area:
Regionally, this marker is in Alabama’s Tri-Counties River Region. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Black Belt. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
4. Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities / Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park Marker
Oak Park historic marker in context.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, January 12, 2014
5. Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities Marker
Photographed by Mark Hilton, January 12, 2014
6. Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 13, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,096 times since then and 164 times this year. Last updated on April 9, 2026, by Shaun Rose of Montgomery, Alabama. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 9, 2026, by Shaun Rose of Montgomery, Alabama. 3. submitted on January 13, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 4. submitted on April 9, 2026, by Shaun Rose of Montgomery, Alabama. 5, 6. submitted on April 12, 2026, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
