Facade

The Dr. York W. Bailey House is significant as an intact and good example of the vernacular American Foursquare house form, popular in the early twentieth century. It is also significant for its association with Dr. York W. Bailey, a prominent native of the island who was St. Helena’s first black doctor and only resident physician for over 50 years. The two story house was built ca. 1915 for Bailey. He ordered it from a mail-order catalog and it was shipped to Beaufort, then brought across to the island by boat and assembled. He lived in this house until his death in 1971. Bailey, born on St. Helena in 1881, graduated from Penn School and Hampton Institute and studied medicine at Howard University, returning to the island in 1906. During his tenure as the island’s only resident doctor he was often paid in trade with livestock or produce, which he sold in Beaufort. His career was frequently cited as an example of the success of the Penn School in educating the blacks of St. Helena, and the York W. Bailey Cultural Center and Museum at Penn Community Center is named for him. Listed in the National Register October 6, 1988.

View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property. In addition, the Historic Resources of St. Helena Island, ca. 1740-ca. 1935 includes historical background information for this and other related National Register properties.

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