Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
New Burrell Memorial Hospital, 1955 |
Description |
A black and white photograph of the new Burrell Memorial Hospital taken in August 1955. Old Burrell Memorial Hospital was located in what was formerly Allegheny Institute in Roanoke, Virginia. The hospital was named after Isaac David Burrell, Roanoke's pioneering African-American physician. Dr. Burrell was in the process of opening a hospital in a two-story house on Henry Street with six other black physicians when he became ill with severe gallstones. He was transported 240 miles on a cot placed in a baggage car of a train bound for Freedman Hospital in Washington, D.C. He died there on March 14, 1914. A year later, on March 18, 1915, the 10-bed hospital on Henry Street opened and was named Burrell Memorial Hospital. As the need for more room to care for the people of the black community increased, Burrell Memorial Hospital made plans to relocate to the Allegheny Institute, where it opened in 1921. The facility had three floors with 50 beds in 40 rooms on a five-acre tract of land. From its beginnings, Burrell was committed to training black nurses. In 1925, Burrell Memorial Training School for Nurses was able to attain accreditation. The school closed in 1934. As the patient population increased over the years, a newer and larger facility was needed to accommodate this increase, which was built in 1955 alongside the old facility. In the 1960s with the advent of integration and declining revenues, Burrell became affiliated with Community Hospital in 1968. This partnership lifted Burrell out of debt. However, because patients had the option of going to other area hospitals, Burrell's patient population began to decline along with revenue until on September 19, 1978, it was announced that Burrell would cease operation as a general hospital and become a nursing home. After 63 years of service, Burrell closed its doors. Burrell re-opened in 1979 as the Burrell Home for Adults. In 1990 the name was changed to Burrell Nursing Center, becoming a long-term care and rehabilitation facility. |
Object ID |
1981.30.2 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Studio |
Clark Studio |
Date |
August 1955 |
Year Range from |
1955 |
Year Range to |
1955 |
Subjects |
Building Hospitals Hospitals, local Windows Doors & doorways Automobiles Cars Antennas (Electronics) Trees Signs Curbing Chimneys Air conditioners Hedges (Plants) License plates Tires Brickwork |
Search Terms |
Burrell Memorial Hospital Roanoke, Virginia |
People |
Burrell, Isaac David |
Collection |
History Museum Photograph Collection |
Imagefile |
008\1981302.JPG |
Number of images |
1 |