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Location DB > United States > North Carolina > Statesville > Davis Hospital
 Name
Davis Hospital
 Viewing Options
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 Database Info
created by never_sleep on 7/31/2003 9:46 PM
last modified by Emperor Wang on 12/12/2018 5:16 PM
 Viewability
Publically Viewable Publically Viewable
This location has been labeled as Demolished, and therefore can be viewed by anyone.
 Overview
 Description
3 stories and a basement- quite a few different wards. Not as vast as some hospitals and sanitariums in the northeast, but one could easily spend several hours or more inside and not truly see everything.
 Basic Information
Type: Building
Status: Demolished
Accessibility: Forget it; it's gone
Recommendation: forget it; it's gone
 Physical Information
Address
709 West End Avenue
Statesville, North Carolina
United States
Owner: unknown
  • See a map of this location
  •  Hazards
  • asbestos
  • rust
  • unsafe flooring
  • flooding
  • water
  • air quality
  • crackheads
  •  Interesting Features
    2 autoclaves, one at least 40 years old. Crackheads on rainy days. Patient files. Stored equipment which was never recovered, including lots of furniture and machinery. Water damage makes for interesting pics.

    UPDATE-As of late 2017, this building has been demolished.
     Security Measures
  • welded doors
  • wooden boarding
  •  Historical Dates
    Built: 1925
    Closed: 1985
     Required Equipment
  • flashlight
  • breathing mask
  • gloves
  • head protection
  • long pants / sleeves
  • towelettes
  •  Recommended Equipment
    Time machine (it's gone)
     History
    In 1920, Dr. James Davis realized his boyhood dream with the opening of Carpenter-Davis Hospital. Located on South Center Street, the hospital was a result of an arrangement between Dr. Davis, a prominent surgeon, and Dr. F. A. Carpenter, an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. According to historians, the custom at that time was for a physician to make house calls as well as have a small office for patient visits. With the opening of the 35-bed Carpenter-Davis Hospital, Dr. Davis changed this by establishing a group arrangement with assistants, nurses, technicians, and associate doctors.

    In May of that same year, the hospital established the School of Nursing with only three ladies in the freshman class. Miss Elizabeth Hill, a graduate of Mitchell College and the School of Nursing at Charlotte Sanatorium, (today Carolina Medical Center), was the entire nursing staff. In addition to organizing the School of Nursing, Miss Hill was the first Superintendent of

    Nurses at Davis, (considered today Director of Nursing/Chief Clinical Officer). The School of Nursing continued operations until 1984, graduating at least 720 people from the three-year nursing school. Interestingly, all of the graduates were women, except for one man, according to a long-time instructor.

    In the hospital’s second year of operation Dr. Carpenter died, leaving Dr. Davis to operate the hospital. While continuing to run the hospital, Dr. Davis began searching for land for a new hospital. He chose a cow pasture near the Wagner homestead on West End Avenue, his grandmothers home. This site would later become the home of his 250-bed hospital.

    On December 17, 1925, Davis Hospital moved from its South Center Street location to a handsome, new building on West End Avenue. An article appearing in the local paper, The Landmark, described the new $80,000 hospital as thoroughly equipped. Of the most approved design and construction and with scientific equipment in every department, the new hospital is one of the most modern and completely equipped institutions of this type in North Carolina.

    In a Statesville paper written by Dr. Davis, he cited some of the firsts that he and his hospital were responsible for, such as: One of the first hospitals in North Carolina to use a radiographoscope to view x-ray films. (Radiographoscope was invented by a North Carolina physician).
    One of the very first Emergency Departments in North Carolina to be open and staffed by a physician 24 hours a day, seven days a week - not unusual today, but a significant accomplishment in the 1920s.
    • One of the first hospitals in North Carolina and one of the first in the United States to install air conditioning in the operating rooms. Utilizing air conditioning is a standard practice today, but not in the early years of healthcare.
    • One of the first hospitals in the United States to use glucose intravenously.
    • An early organizer of blood-donor services and had a blood bank very early in its history.

    Throughout the years, Dr. Davis continued his quest of excellence in healthcare with the addition of a maternity wing, more patient rooms, and expanded surgical facilities. Unfortunately the largest and most significant addition of a diagnostic clinic was completed in September 1955, just three months after his death.

    Remembered throughout North Carolina as a dynamic, driving businessman and a leader in state and national Republican politics, Dr. Davis was credited with performing over 75,000 surgical procedures, a truly remarkable accomplishment. Announcement of his death brought countless telegrams, letters, and telephone messages of sympathy from many Republican and Democratic party leaders, doctors across the nation, and also from the American Medical Association. Dr. Davis was praised as a visionary who gave his whole life for the advancement of medical science. Abiding by his wishes, Dr. Davis was buried in an unpretentious tomb on the south lawn of the West End Avenue hospital.(Upon sale of the West End Avenue property, Dr. Davis' tomb was later moved to Davis Memorial Baptist Church in Wilkes County.)

    Davis Hospital continued to operate from the West End location until 1981. Over time 17 additions were made and the need for a newer more modern facility became apparent. Construction on a $20 million dollar state-of-the-art facility began in April 1983. On March 24, 1984, Davis moved 58 patients from the West End location to their new hospital on Old Mocksville Road, a 149-bed facility.

    I couldn't find the exact date the old place's doors were last closed to patients, but it was likely sometime that year, meaning the hospital was probably completely empty by 1985.
     Media Coverage
    All original photos from Abandoned NC are now available under a creative commons license here:
    http://www.flickr....hotos/pirateheart/

    www.davisregional.com/
    this is the site of the new Davis Hospital, which is where I found out about the histroy of the old one.

    http://www2.states...ns-site-ar-584485/
    Article from the owner, claiming he has plans for it.

    http://www2.states...wn-aban-ar-550902/
    Article about the city making it easier to tear down.

    "Despite Rumors, Nothing Imminent for Site of Former Hospital"
    http://www.hickory...-0019bb30f31a.html

    "Demolition begins. Goodbye old friend."
    http://www.statesv...-b375468b86a1.html
     Future Plans
    Too far gone to be renovated, unable to be demolished. Asbestos removal is too expensive, and apparently the building can't even be demolished until this is done.

    The city wants it gone though, and are actively working to get rid of it. It's only a matter of time.

    End of 2017: site demolished.
     Stories


    Add your own story
     Photo Galleries
    Click to view gallery
    Davis Hospital
    Thu, Jul 31st, 2003
    posted by never_sleep
    4 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    tripping room
    Sun, Apr 24th, 2011
    posted by solstice
    25 pictures


    Add your own photos

    Mark all galleries as Seen
     Web Links
    http://www.youtube...atch?v=w1EoCzgqcJs
     Contribute

    Edit this Location
     Moderator Rating
    The moderator rating is a neutral rating of the content quality, photography, and coolness of this location.

    Category Rating
    Photography 8 / 10
    Coolness 5 / 10
    Content Quality 9 / 10
     Validation
    This location's validation is current. It was last validated by Emperor Wang on 12/12/2018 5:17 PM.

     Latest Changes
  • on Dec 12 18 at 17:17, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Dec 12 18 at 17:16, Emperor Wang changed the following: Interesting Features, Future Plans
  • on Dec 12 18 at 7:25, Cfourexplore changed the following: Recommendation
  • on Dec 12 18 at 7:23, Cfourexplore changed the following: Accessibility, Interesting Features, Recommended Equipment, Future Plans
  • on Aug 12 15 at 21:56, Mike Dijital validated this location
  • on Aug 12 15 at 14:31, never_sleep changed the following: Status, Media Coverage
  • on Jun 19 14 at 8:23, Steed validated this location
  • on Aug 2 13 at 16:33, sara'mer changed the following: Media Coverage
  • on Apr 24 11 at 6:01, Opheliaism validated this location
  • on Apr 24 11 at 5:49, solstice added some pictures to a gallery
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