By Shawn Nowlin
A historic Roanoke site that provided adequate health services to the community for decades has officially been sold.
In 1948, Dr. Conrad Claytor’s grandfather, Dr. John B. Claytor Sr., founded the Claytor Memorial Clinic. After years of family ownership, descendants of the Roanoke icon have finally sold the property in the Gainsboro neighborhood.
Less than two weeks after relatives and community members met in July for a state historical marker unveiling near the property, a recently formed company closed the sale.
Three years ago, as part of a revitalization of the historically Black neighborhood, the City of Roanoke attempted to purchase the land. After family members disagreed with the terms, the negotiations fell through. Things turned around when city officials were presented with a new plan.
“My family represents the second, third and fourth generations of the Claytor family,” retired podiatrist Dr. John Claytor Jr. previously told the Roanoke Tribune. “My family has put so much into this community over the years that it’s hard to put into words. I am just happy that we got to this point.”
The story of Roanoke cannot be accurately told without acknowledging the contributions and impact of the Claytor Clinic. During segregation, the facility served generations of area residents. In its heyday, dozens of people could be treated at any given time. Since closing in the 1990s, the clinic has remained vacant.
If the walls inside the clinic could speak, Kim Brockman believes the stories would surprise people. “When I hear from older families about how the clinic impacted their lives, it warms my heart,” she said. “Many people would have died had they not existed. And no, that is not an exaggeration.”
During a citizens panel three years ago after the city received nearly $65 million in pandemic relief money, some residents expressed to city leaders that a new health center should be built, specifically in the Gainsboro neighborhood.
“I understand that major transactions and financial investments do not happen in a vacuum, rather a lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people don’t get to see,” Morris Harrington said. “I am of the opinion though that a health center would pay off massively in a multitude of ways.”
To this day, Brockman feels that most people lack a true appreciation of the Claytor Memorial Clinic. “I first learned of the clinic when I was in middle school. While the opinions on the property being sold differ, because it had been vacant for so long, I knew it was just a matter of time before it happened.”
