JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — You can now take a trip down memory lane and learn more about an important part of Jacksonville’s history.
A glimpse of Jacksonville’s racial history, the Old Brewster Hospital at 834 West Monroe Street, is now opening a brand new exhibit.
A gallery is now open to honor the nurses who worked at Brewster Hospital.
”It’s a great opportunity to recognize the nurses and all the history that they bring,” said Jim McCarthy, president of North Florida Land Trust.
The gallery exhibit was curated by the Brewster Nurses and Community Alumni Association and features photographs, documents and other memorabilia that showcases the history of Brewster Hospital. Brewster was built in 1885 and was Jacksonville’s first hospital for African Americans and a training school for nurses.
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The building was moved to its current location at the corner of Monroe and Davis Streets in 2005, and the city made some improvements to the property in 2007. After doing extensive renovations, NFLT moved into the building in 2019. The organization designated a room on the first floor to serve as a memorial to the history of Brewster Hospital and for use as a meeting room for the Brewster Hospital Nurses Association.
Doretha Brown is the president of the Brewster Hospital Nurses Association and a proud graduate whose photo you’ll also find on the wall. This place allowed her to pursue her 39-year nursing career.
”During that particular era, it was limited what the African Americans could do to help themselves,” she explained.
But more than helping herself, she wanted to go into the medical field.
”So, I could help people,” she emphasized. She reunited with the other trailblazers she graduated with to reminisce on their stories.
”It was an awesome experience,” she recalled. “It will be something that will stay with you the rest of your life.”
Just like the lesson they learned, and hope others will too.
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”You can do whatever you set your mind to,” she said. ”Don’t give up. Just keep going, and eventually you will be able to reach your goal.”
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week. You can call (904) 479-1967 ahead of time to schedule an appointment.
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