Whitehead Infirmary

Front: Dr. James Whitehead (1906-2004) was a graduate of Lake City H.S. and the Medical University of S.C. After completing his internship at Spartanburg General, he returned to Lake City where he practiced medicine for 55 years. In 1938 he oversaw the construction of this two-story building, which was built as a 14-bed obstetric hospital. With few other local options for professional medical care, however, Whitehead Infirmary quickly became the primary acute care facility in town. Reverse: Whitehead Infirmary was established at a time when childbirth was increasingly occurring outside of the home. By 1950 the majority of U.S. births took place in hospitals and Whitehead Infirmary was part of this shift in medical practice. In addition to obstetrics, Dr. Whitehead also performed general surgery and treated numerous victims of traumatic injuries. The infirmary closed in 1959, but Whitehead maintained a clinic here until his retirement in 1986.