Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, (former)
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Why it's listed
Two Colonial Revival brick buildings on a wooded ridge in northeast Elkin make up the former Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital and its Nurses' Home. The hospital opened in 1931 to a design by Winston-Salem architect Harold Macklin, with Flemish-bond brickwork, a slate hipped roof, an octagonal cupola and a classical central entrance. The Nurses' Home followed in 1932, housing nurses and the chief surgeon's family. Sponsored by the Western North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Church and funded by the Duke Foundation and local citizens, the hospital was the only one in the Elkin area and drew patients from surrounding counties. Additions came in 1937, 1947 and 1952, and the Methodist conference gave up ownership in 1967. A new hospital opened in 1973, and the old building became a nursing center until the late 1990s. Listing recognizes its role in local health care and its rare Colonial Revival design for a non-domestic building in Elkin.
Significance in brief: The hospital was the only hospital facility in the Elkin area and served surrounding counties and Methodists across the Western North Carolina Conference, giving it local significance in Health/Medicine. It is also the oldest surviving Colonial Revival non-domestic building in Elkin, designed by Winston-Salem architect Harold Macklin. The period of significance ends in 1952 with the last major addition.
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 02000437, listed May 2, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 230 Hawthorne Rd., Elkin |
|---|---|
| County | Surry County |
| Listed | May 2, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000437 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1931-1952 |
| Architect / builder | Harold Macklin, architect (original building); John M. Franklin, architect (1937 addition); Frank L. Blum, contractor (1937 addition) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a nursing care center from 1973 until the late 1990s; since then it has stood vacant, apart from a time when part of the basement level was used. Both buildings are in good condition overall, though the rear ell has recent water damage. |
| Acreage | 3.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.25475, -80.84563 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 02000437.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986558
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.