Old Post Sanitarium
Why it's listed
Built of hand-cut white sandstone quarried at the edge of the Cap Rock, the Post Sanitarium is a two-story rectangular building with a basement in Post, Texas. Its east facade is dominated by a large pedimented gable carried on two-story fluted concrete columns, with a wooden-balustrade gallery on the second floor. Scottish stonemasons Scottie Samson and Jimmy Napier built it for C. W. Post, the cereal manufacturer who founded the town in 1907 as a model community for farmers. Opened in 1913, the hospital had an x-ray room, an operating room with tile floor and skylight, a diet kitchen, a nurse's training program, steam heat, and its own gasoline-powered electric plant. It is considered one of the earliest hospitals in the region. It closed in 1920, served as an apartment house from 1928 to 1953, and then sat vacant for 13 years. Garza County bought it in 1966, and it now operates as a museum.
Significance in brief: It was one of the earliest hospitals in the Panhandle and South Plains region and was unusually well equipped for a settlement only five years old. It is also a tangible link to C. W. Post and his plan for a model town. Post's interest in health and dietetics led to its founding.
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 75001984, listed May 21, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 117 North Ave. N, Post |
|---|---|
| County | Garza County |
| Listed | May 21, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001984 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architect / builder | Scottie Samson and Jimmy Napier |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival elements, with wide eaves and exposed gable framing reflecting stick or bungalow styles |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a museum since Garza County bought it in 1966; it was vacated for 13 years before that. Condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.19208, -101.38398 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 75001984.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000439
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.