Richardson, L., Memorial Hospital, Former
Also known as: Americas Health Care of Greensboro Nursing Facility
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Why it's listed
Built in 1927 on McConnell Road in Greensboro, the three-story brick former L. Richardson Memorial Hospital opened with sixty beds as the first modern hospital serving the city's black community. Its hollow tile, reinforced concrete and brick veneer construction made it the only fire-proof hospital in the city at the time. Additions in 1930 and 1945-46, the latter designed by local architect J. Burton Wilder, expanded it to nearly one hundred beds as demand grew. The building shows the Mission Revival style in its scalloped parapet, red tile roofs, small tiled tower and arched pavilion. It was listed for its role in health care for Greensboro's black community, its importance to the city's medical history, and its architectural character. The hospital moved to a new facility in 1966, and the old building was converted into a nursing home.
Significance in brief: The hospital was Greensboro's first modern hospital to serve the black community and is the only known surviving early hospital building in the city. Its fire-proof construction and equipment made it among the best built hospitals in the city at its opening. The building is also a rare local example of Mission Revival style applied to a hospital.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92000180, listed April 3, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 603 S. Benbow Rd., Greensboro |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | April 3, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000180 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Wilder, J. Burton (architect of the 1945-46 addition) |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a nursing home after the hospital moved in the 1960s; front stairway removed. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 36.06787, -79.77039 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000180.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18706238
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.