Risser Hospital
Bonham, Fannin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Constructed about 1915 by John Sparger, Jr., this building first served as the residence of D. W. Sweeney, a local merchant and banker. In 1956 it was purchased by Dr. Joe A. Risser and opened as an 18-bed hospital, one of several doctor-operated clinics that served the medical needs of Bonham residents. Risser Hospital gained national attention on Nov. 16, 1961, when Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, died in the northeast downstairs room while a patient here. Dr. Risser, Rayburn's personal physician, operated the facility until 1971, when it was closed. (1981)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built around 1915 as the home of merchant and banker D.W. Sweeney, this Bonham building found a second life in 1956 when Dr. Joe Risser opened it as an 18-bed hospital — one of the small doctor-run clinics that once handled a town's medical care. It gained national attention on November 16, 1961, when Sam Rayburn, the long-serving Speaker of the U.S. House and Risser's own patient, died here. The hospital closed in 1971.
Why it matters
The death of 'Mr. Sam' Rayburn, one of the most powerful figures in twentieth-century American government, ties this modest Texas clinic to the nation's political history.
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Related people
- · Sam Rayburn
- · Joe A. Risser
- · D. W. Sweeney
Related events
- · Death of Sam Rayburn
Themes & tags
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