From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
Carraway Methodist Medical Center
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Carraway Methodist Medical Center |
| org_group | Carraway Infirmary |
| pushpin_mapsize | |
| pushpin_map_alt | |
| logo | |
| logo_size | |
| region | Birmingham, Alabama |
| state | Alabama |
| country | United States |
| coordinates | |
| address | |
| healthcare | |
| speciality | |
| standards | |
| emergency | |
| helipad | Yes |
| affiliation | None |
| patron | None |
| network | |
| founded | 1908 by Dr. Charles N. Carraway |
| closed | |
| website | None |
| other_links | List of hospitals in Alabama |
Carraway Methodist Medical Center was a medical facility in Birmingham, Alabama founded as Carraway Infirmary in 1908 by Dr. Charles N. Carraway. It was moved in 1917 to Birmingham's Norwood neighborhood. Its facilities were segregated according to skin color for much of its history and, in one instance, the facility refused emergency treatment to James Peck, an injured white civil rights activist who had been savagely beaten for being a Freedom Rider. This hospital was three miles from St. Vincent's. It expanded in the 1950s and 1960s and ran into financial trouble in the 2000s, declaring bankruptcy and closing in 2008.
Throughout its history Carraway Methodist Medical Center was a pace-setter. In the 1980s, the facility added the area's only Level 1 Trauma Center, 3 LifeSaver Helicopters, a hyperbaric oxygen therapy department, a wound care center, the laser center, the area's first Sleep Center, among many other groundbreaking additions. Lifesaver, the first medical helicopter service in Alabama, came about because Carraway found a lot of patients in 1978 couldn't make it to Birmingham's higher-level hospitals. So by 1981, he had Lifesaver in place along with the trauma center. The helicopter program carried 30,000 patients as part of Carraway hospital, and was one of only 5% of emergency flight programs in the nation that placed physicians on every flight.
CN Carraway continued until the original organization was sold in bankruptcy. "When you're sick, you want the administration to be as compassionate as the nurses, the caregivers, and the doctors. So administration is not just about the bottom line dollar," Robert Carraway, grandson to CN Carraway, said.{{Cite news |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130629210705/http://birmingham.medicalnewsinc.com/news.php?viewStory=1194 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 2013-06-29
History
Dr. Charles N. Carraway founded the hospital in 1908, in a house in Pratt City, now a neighborhood in Birmingham, with the capacity to treat 16 patients.Incorrect date is cited in {{Cite book |access-date = 2009-10-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708122135/http://www.carrawaysurgical.com/about/family_history.html |archive-date = 2011-07-08 |url-status = dead
In the 1940s, Charles Carraway donated the hospital to the Methodist church, and being renamed Carraway Methodist, with Carraway remaining the chair and CEO. In 1957, Charles Carraway suffered a stroke. In response the hospital board elected his son, Dr Ben Carraway, to take over the running of the Facility.
He increased the hospital from 256 beds to 617. A Christmas star placed on the roof in 1958 became a noted Birmingham landmark.{{Cite book The star remained long after the hospital closed. In 1993 Dr Robert Carraway, son of Ben Carraway (who had served part of his residency and his entire career at the hospital) was elected to take over as CEO and chair when Ben Carraway too had a stroke.
The hospital fell into financial difficulties in the beginning of the 2000s. At the time, it was run by the founder's grandson, Dr. Robert Carraway. According to The Birmingham News, two factors were responsible for the institution's financial demise: the decay of the Norwood neighborhood and "decades of decisions favoring patient care over profits."{{Cite news |access-date = 2009-10-22 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110609100636/http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews%2F122457694357320.xml&coll=2 |archive-date = 2011-06-09 |url-status = dead |access-date = 2009-10-22 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091010200545/http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews%2F1255076148194360.xml&coll=2 |archive-date = 2009-10-10 |url-status = dead | access-date = 2009-10-22}}
In 2011, The Lovelady Center, a non-profit women's rehab center, purchased the hospital property and renamed it "Metro Plaza."However the hospital has since become derelict, vandalised and home to squatters and drug addicts. | access-date = 2011-08-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927034411/http://www2.alabamas13.com/news/2011/aug/17/non-ar-2289356/ | archive-date = 2011-09-27 | url-status = dead
In 2022, The building is said to be demolished as it has deteriorated from vandalism, vegetation growth, and mold growth. The complex is also to be demolished for a proposed Avenue called "The Star".
January 3, 2024, A groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark construction of a new amphitheater on the site for a venue initially named Birmingham's Star Amphitheater. Initial groundwork began in Spring of 2024. Coca-Cola signed a multi-year deal for naming rights, and the venue saw its first show on with comedian Matt Rife on June 22, 2025. The venue re-utilizes four parking structures that were built for the Carraway Medical center.
Notable incidents and patients
Much of Carraway's history took place during segregation, which "dictat[ed] virtually every element of Birmingham race relations."{{Cite book | url-access = registration | author-link = Anthony Grooms
In April 1998, some of the Jefferson County F5 tornado victims were sent to Carraway and remained there until recovery.
Carraway has collaborated with Talladega Speedway for decades, providing medical care during auto racing events such as the Alabama 500 and Talladega 500. It is scheduled to be demolished by the end of May, 2022.
References
References
- [http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Society/freedom_rides/freedom_ride_jpegs/17_slide0019_image035.jpg Photo of James Peck after being attacked in Birmingham, Alabama] {{webarchive. link. (2016-03-03 , University of California. Retrieved February 1, 2010.{{primary source inline). needs context of the whole article, not just an isolated image with no publishing info. (May 2013)
- Arsenault, Raymond. (2006). "Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice". Oxford University Press.
- Branch, Taylor. (1989). "Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954–63". Simon and Schuster.
- (5 December 2008). "Robert Carraway Remembers".
- (2022-05-09). "Demolition of the old Carraway Hospital set to begin this month, pending Bham Council approval {{!}} Bham Now".
- Garrison, Greg. (2024-06-03). "Your first look at The Birmingham Amphitheater: When will it host its first concert?".
- Garrison, Greg. (2024-01-11). "Birmingham’s Star Amphitheater construction begins this spring, possibly opening summer 2025".
- Colurso, Mary. (2025-06-20). "Coca-Cola Amphitheater parking, tickets, shuttles, cell phones: What to know for first show".
- [http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2001/10/22/story8.html?page=all Carraway doing medical duty at Talladega] - Birmingaham Business Journal, 21 October 2011
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about Carraway Methodist Medical Center — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report