Name: University Hospital Historical Collection
Dates: 1886-1965
Extent: 1.5 cubic feet
Historical Note: The University of Alabama Hospital, commonly referred to as "University Hospital" can trace its history, via the Hillman Hospital, back to the first decades of the city of Birmingham. In 1886 a group of women met to organize for the construction of a charity hospital. On October 23, 1888, the Hospital of United Charity, the city’s first charity facility, opened in leased space on 20th Street. Over the next twenty years, the charity hospital was located in numerous buildings around the young city, and in 1896 would be renamed for Thomas T. Hillman. In 1902 a lot at South 20th Street and present-day 6th Avenue South was acquired and on May 2, 1902, construction began on the new facility. Hillman Hospital was formally opened with a dedication ceremony on July 15, 1903. The Jefferson County Board of Revenue officially accepted Hillman Hospital in May of 1907 and continued to operate the facility as a charity hospital. Two major additions were completed in 1913 and in 1929, but by 1938 the city needed more hospital beds, especially for paying patients, and construction was begun on a new hospital adjacent to the Hillman buildings. The 575-bed Jefferson Hospital was opened and dedicated during ceremonies held on December 26-30, 1940. In 1944 the Jefferson and Hillman hospitals buildings were deeded to The University of Alabama and merged to form the Jefferson-Hillman Hospital, a component of the newly established Birmingham Medical Center. On May 28, 1955, the Jefferson-Hillman Hospital was renamed and, although it has undergone several slight changes to its name, since that time has been known as "University Hospital." Today, University Hospital is a major patient-care and research facility of the UAB Health System at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Scope and Contents: Includes correspondence, manuscripts, news clippings, diplomas, certificates, reports, minutes, land deeds and other legal papers, pamphlets, printed materials, and ephemera.
Arrangement: Organized into four series: 1. Board of Lady Managers Files; 2. Hospital Historical Files; 3. Jefferson-Hillman Hospital Bulletin Files; 4. Hospital Deeds and Legal Records.
Accession Number: M94-18
Provenance: These materials were housed in the Jefferson County Medical Society/UAB Health Sciences Archives. After the JCMS/UAB archives was disbanded, the materials were transferred to the UAB Archives in December 1994.
Finding aid: Printed descriptive guide by Tim L. Pennycuff available in repository.
Access Points:
Board of Lady Managers of Hillman Hospital x Charities.
Charities, Medical z Alabama z Birmingham.
Hillman Hospital (Birmingham, Ala.).
Hillman Hospital Training School for Nurses (Birmingham, Ala.).
Hospital of the United Charities (Birmingham, Ala.).
Hospitals z Alabama z Birmingham.
MacQueen, James W.
McNulty, Matthew F., q (Matthew Francis), d b. 1914.
Poor x Medical care x History z Alabama z Birmingham.
Smith, Ella Lee.
Smith, Kate Duncan.
University of Alabama. b Jefferson-Hillman Hospital.
University of Alabama in Birmingham. b University Hospital.
Document Types:
Certificates.<BR. Clippings.
Correspondence.
Deeds.
Diplomas.
Manuscripts.
Minutes.
Reports.
Location: Manuscript Stacks
Related Series: PMC28, University Hospital Historical Collection Photographs; MC39, Hillman Hospital Collection
Physical Condition: Acid free folders and acid free boxes
Overview of Arrangement
Series 1: Board of Lady Managers Files, 1888-1955, .25 c.f.
Series 2: Hospital Historical Files, 1886-1965, .5 c.f.
Series 3: Jefferson-Hillman Hospital Bulletin Files, 1946-1953, .25 c.f.
Series 4: Hospital Deeds and Legal Records, 1887-1953, .5 c.f.
This page last updated on 7 July 1999.
Copyright: The University of Alabama Board of Trustees.