History of Fields House

History of James A. Fields House

In 1908, a team of four doctors pioneered the establishment of the first black hospital for blacks. Drs. W.T. Forman, W.P. Dickerson, W.W. Whittaker, and W.T. Jones pooled their savings and asked the Fields family for the use of the top floor of the house to start a hospital (Whittaker Memorial Hospital). Before this site, blacks could only be seen in the city jail. The first stage of this dream became a reality.Today, this restored Italianate landmark exhibits challenges and stimulates visitors of all ages. The public is invited to actively explore the living history of James Apostles Fields and African-American history in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. In 2002, the James A. Fields House was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005, the house was placed on the Virginia Civil War Trails as a museum site.