Houston Negro Hospital School of Nursing Building, building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
The Houston Negro Hospital School of Nursing Building is a training facility built in 1931 using Mission Revival architectural style to prepare Black nurses for healthcare work. The structure features design elements inspired by local church architecture and stands as part of the hospital's broader historic complex.
The nursing school building opened in 1931 to address the shortage of Black nurses and was designed by architect Maurice J. Sullivan who drew inspiration from nearby church design. It closed in 1935 during the Great Depression but was later repurposed for other medical work and officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The building honors a major donor's late wife and reflects the determination of Black doctors and nurses to shape healthcare in their own community. The Mission Revival style connects to local church architecture and gives the structure a distinctive presence in the neighborhood.
The building can be viewed from outside as part of the historic complex, with the Mission Revival architectural details clearly visible on the facade. Visitors should note the location in the Third Ward area and can reach it by car or on foot with attention to local street patterns.
The school closed after just a few years due to lack of patients, yet its architectural details reveal how closely Sullivan studied nearby church design for inspiration. This hidden connection between the school and religious architecture remains visible in the facade details today.
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