Jefferson Davis Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jefferson Davis Hospital
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The renovated building in 2010
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 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1101 Elder St., Houston, Texas |
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| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | W. A. Dowdy |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000859 |
The Jefferson Davis Hospital was a hospital in Houston, Texas. It opened in 1924 and closed in 1989. It was the first main hospital in Houston to treat people who couldn't afford medical care.
Today, the building is known as the Elder Street Artists Lofts. Since 2005, it has provided homes and workspaces for artists. The building is also famous for its spooky stories and reputation for being haunted.
Contents
What Was There Before the Hospital?
Before the hospital was built, the land was a cemetery for the City of Houston. From 1840 to the mid-1890s, thousands of people were buried there. This included soldiers from the Confederate States Army, former slaves, and city officials. Many victims of yellow fever and cholera epidemics were also buried here.
By the early 1900s, the cemetery was not well cared for. Because of this, the city decided to use the land for a new hospital in the 1920s.
Building Design and Style
The Jefferson Davis Hospital building was designed by Wilkes Alfred Dowdy. He was the architect for the City of Houston. The building has four stories and is made of red brick. It was built in a style called Classical Revival architecture. This style was popular in the early 1900s.
Outside the Hospital: A Classical Look
The outside of the hospital has many features of the Classical Revival style. These include stone details and brick corners. The main entrance has a square porch with four tall, decorative columns.
The architect used high ceilings and many large windows. This helped to let in sunlight and fresh air. The building was also built on a raised basement. This helped cool the building with cross-through breezes. Fresh air was thought to help sick people feel better. The second and third floors had screened balconies. Patients could get fresh air there without leaving the hospital.
Inside the Hospital: Simple and Strong
The inside of the hospital was simple. This showed that it was a charity hospital for people who needed free care. The original floors were made of terrazzo, a mix of stone chips and concrete. These floors were kept during later repairs. There was also a children's garden and playground on the roof.
In 2005, the building was renovated for $6.3 million. The original features like the terrazzo floors, high ceilings, and large windows were kept. The project also added a "green" roof. This was a new and environmentally friendly feature for the building.
Hospital's History and Use
Building the Hospital: A Sensitive Start (1924-1938)
In the early 1920s, Houston planned to build Jefferson Davis Hospital. Some people worried that building the hospital would disturb the graves in the old cemetery. To try and avoid this, the hospital's basement was built above ground. This was done to leave the graves untouched. However, later discoveries showed that not all graves were moved.
The hospital was named after Jefferson Davis, who was the president of the Confederacy. This was done to honor the Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
The hospital opened in 1925. It was run by the City of Houston and Harris County. But it was only used as a main hospital for 13 years. Houston was growing fast, and the building soon became too small.
In 1938, the city's main medical services moved to a new hospital. Jefferson Davis Hospital officially closed its doors in 1939.
New Uses for the Building (1938-1989)
After 1939, the building was used for different things. It stored medical records and was a probation office. It also served as a home for young people and a place to get food stamps. From the 1960s to the 1980s, it was used for county storage.
The probation office next door was also rumored to be haunted. People reported strange noises and seeing figures that disappeared. Police dogs even refused to go inside when a fire alarm went off!
Empty and Falling Apart (1989-2003)
From 1989 to 2005, the building was empty and slowly fell apart. It became a place for vandals and homeless people. Many windows were broken, and the inside was a mess. People even broke in on Halloween for thrills because of its spooky reputation.
In 1995, the site was named a State Archaeological Landmark. This was because of its past as a major cemetery.
Saving the Building: A New Beginning (2002 to Present)
In 2002, the City of Houston decided to make the building a city landmark. Later that year, the building was sold to Avenue Community Development Corporation and ArtSpace Projects Inc. They planned to fix up the old building.
The renovation project cost $6.3 million. It turned the old hospital into 34 artist lofts and homes. This new space is now called the Elder Street Artists Lofts. The project got money from the City of Houston, Harris County, and other groups. The United States Environmental Protection Agency also gave money to clean up asbestos and lead.
Because the building was a historical landmark, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Texas Historical Commission watched the renovation closely. They made sure the repairs were historically accurate. An archaeological survey was done before construction to protect any remaining graves.
The restoration was finished in 2005. The Elder Street Artists Lofts were praised by the community. They even won an award for "Best Renovation" from the Houston Press in 2006.
The lofts are part of the Houston Independent School District. Students living there attend Crockett Elementary School, Hogg Middle School, and Heights High School.
See also
- Six wards of Houston
