Houston Negro Hospital School of Nursing Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1931 in Houston's Third Ward, this two-story nursing school building was designed by architect Maurice J. Sullivan in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Reinforced concrete and hollow tile form the structure, with white stucco walls, a red barrel-tile roof, and a long arcade along the rear elevation facing the hospital grounds. A central arched passageway once served as a gateway to the complex. The school was the city's first residential nursing school for Black students and was linked to the Houston Negro Hospital, which opened in 1926. Oilman J. S. Cullinan paid for it, naming it in honor of his late wife, and the City of Houston donated the land. West and Jensen built it for over $40,000. The school closed in 1935 after low hospital admissions, and the building then served as a nurses' dormitory, a cancer outpatient facility, and a drug-abuse clinic. A large hospital addition separates it from the original hospital, so the two were nominated separately.
Significance in brief: It was the city's first residential nursing school for Black students and was closely tied to the Houston Negro Hospital, which opened in 1926. It was funded by oilman and philanthropist J. S. Cullinan to promote self-help and relieve sickness among Black residents. It is also a notable work by architect Maurice J. Sullivan.
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 82004857, listed December 27, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Holman Ave. and Ennis St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | December 27, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004857 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1931 |
| Architect / builder | Maurice J. Sullivan, architect; West and Jensen, Contractors |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and vacant, in fair condition (described elsewhere as poor); city used it as a drug-abuse clinic in the 1970s, and rehabilitation as a neighborhood out-patient facility was planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.72648, -95.35746 (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 82004857.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16845833
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.